Pardoned Filipino surrogates and their babies reunite with families

MORE than a week after the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) offered temporary shelter to 13 Filipino surrogate mothers and their babies who were repatriated from Cambodia, they were reunited with their families.

«We are happy to report that the DSWD already processed the reintegration of the remaining five mothers and two babies to their families in Mindanao,» Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said on Wednesday.

Last Sunday, the DSWD Field Office (FO) 11-Davao Region escorted two of the surrogate moms back to their hometowns.

On Monday, three mothers and two newborns from the Haven for Women in Muntinlupa went to their respective provinces in Mindanao.

«Our social workers from the different FOs, including those in our centers and residential care facilities (CRCFs), who facilitated the process of reintegration, ensured the safety and smooth transition of the individuals involved,» Dumlao said.

The first batch of surrogate mothers and one baby were reintegrated into their families on Dec. 30 and 31, just in time for New Year's celebrations.

In September 2024, Cambodian authorities detained 24 foreign women in Kandal province on charges of attempted cross-border human trafficking, including 13 surrogate mothers.

On Dec. 29, the 13 surrogate mothers arrived in the Philippines after securing a Royal Pardon in response to a petition by the Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh, which was backed by the Royal Government of Cambodia.