MANILA — The number of Facebook pages engaged in the illegal sale of babies is down to seven from 23 last month, the National Authority for Child Care (NACC) said Tuesday.

• PH monitoring 23 Facebook pages selling babies

"Last week, we had a meeting with PNP and DICT, nagkaroon kami ng interagency meeting para ma-take down na ang mga Facebook pages," NACC executive director Janella Estrada said in a press conference. 

(Last week, we had a meeting with PNP and DICT. We had an interagency meeting to take down certain Facebook pages.) 

"From 23 pages, naging 7 na lang. 'Yung iba nag-deactivate, natakot sila sa mga lumabas na news, 'yung iba naman na-deactivate ng CICC (Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center)," Estrada added. 

(From 23 pages, it's now down to 7. Some deactivated after the news came out, while some were taken down by the CICC.) 

However, Estrada noted that while many of the Facebook pages were now down, users seemed to flock to the seven remaining pages to trade babies. 

Estrada said DSWD will have a meeting with officials of Meta, the parent company of Facebook, next week to further discuss issues on taking down similar pages.

• Mom who allegedly sold baby on Facebook arrested

The NACC also announced that it was able to arrest a parent selling her 1-year-old baby and a 2-year-old child in Catarman, Northern Samar. 

The baby and child are now safe under the care of accredited facilities, while the 23-year old mother is under police custody.

• Patrol ng Pilipino: 'Baby for sale' child trafficking sa social media, nagpapatuloy 

NACC is promoting legal adoption in the Philippines, which is now a fully administrative procedure. Adoption in the country is not undergoing a judicial process anymore.

• New law simplifies adoption process for Filipino children 

Prospective adoptive parents and children are being matched in a rigorous process attended by social workers.

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