Short answer. Several people must give written consent, not just the child. RA 8552 requires it from the child if ten or over, the biological parents or legal guardian, the adopter's spouse, and certain children of the adopter and adoptee aged ten or over. Republic Act No. 11642 (2022) now governs adoption as an administrative process.
What the law says
the written consent of the following to the adoption is hereby required
RA 8552, Section 9 — Whose Consent Is Necessary. Read the full provision →
Consent is required from several people, in writing
Adoption is not something an adopter and a willing parent can arrange between themselves alone. RA 8552 provides that, after proper counseling, the written consent of the following to the adoption is hereby required, and then lists them. The consent must be written, not merely spoken, and the law wants each person to understand his/her right to give or withhold his/her approval of the adoption before signing. The point is to make sure everyone whose life the adoption changes has a real, informed say, so that a child is not moved from one family to another without the agreement of those closest to the decision.
The specific people who must consent
The statute names them. First, the adoptee, if ten (10) years of age or over, so an older child must agree to his own adoption. Second, the biological parents if known, or the legal guardian, or the government body with legal custody of the child. Third, the legitimate and adopted sons and daughters of the adopter and adoptee who are ten or over. Fourth, the adopter's illegitimate children who are ten or over and living with the adopter and spouse. And fifth, the spouse, if any, of the person adopting or to be adopted. Each of these voices, the law says, counts.
Adoption is now administrative — RA 11642 governs
Important update: the process behind these consent rules has changed. Republic Act No. 11642 (2022), the Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act, moved adoption out of the courts and into an administrative process before the National Authority for Child Care. It restated the qualifications and the consent and eligibility rules, so who must consent and how consent is given are now governed by that Act and its issuances. The lasting effects of adoption survive, an adopted child is treated as legitimate, with reciprocal succession rights, but the procedure and qualifying conditions must be read subject to RA 11642, not RA 8552 alone.
Why the consent list matters
The consent requirement is a safeguard, and it explains why adoptions cannot be rushed. Missing a required consent can derail an adoption, because the law treats each listed person's agreement as part of a valid process. It also shows the balance the law strikes: it protects the child's own wishes once old enough, the biological family's ties, and the stability of the adopter's existing household. If you are considering adoption, the practical takeaway is that you will need to identify and obtain every required consent under the current rules. This is general information, not advice; the specifics now come from RA 11642 and the authority administering it.