The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reminded the public Friday that a minor traveling abroad without parents must have the mother’s explicit consent and must participate in an interview as part of the process to obtain a Travel Clearance Certificate.

The reminder was issued through the Minors Traveling Abroad (MTA) online system.

A TCC is a mandatory document issued by the DSWD for individuals under 18 years old traveling outside the Philippines unaccompanied by their parents or legal guardians. This requirement also covers minors traveling for competitions, study grants, or out-of-country training.

Katherine Dela Cruz, Social Welfare Officer IV of the MTA Centralized Processing Office, stressed that the DSWD follows a strict process in issuing TCCs to protect Filipino children from trafficking and exploitation.

“We require the presence of the mother, even if the mother has consented and signed,” Dela Cruz said. “We need them to attend the interview to confirm because we have learned that many signed, but during the interview, they cannot present the mother.”

Dela Cruz cited that the MTA process follows the Family Code, which designates the mother as having sole parental authority over the child.

If the child’s mother is missing, the father or guardian must obtain a social case study report from the local social welfare and development office of the local government unit, as well as a police blotter report.