unfit parent

good day!
i hope someone can help me with my family's problem. i have a brother who has 4 kids with a woman he did not marry. their 4 kids all carry the mother's last name. their ages are 1,3,5, and 7. The mother left my brother because he doesn't work and he used drugs.
We are all concerned with the kids because their mother left them with my brother and my brother is not taking good care of them.
is there a way wherein we (with my relatives) stand as the legal guardian of these kids? can we adopt them? what will be the process on this?
thank you so much for spending time to read this and any legal insight will be greatly appreciated.
best regards!

what is your brother's position on this? will he be agreeable if you suggest that you will take care of the children? where is the mother now?

my brother is quite unstable for he used illegal drugs recently. we are really concerned with my nephews. the mom left them last august. she came back for a week last november and left them again. we have no idea where she is. she didn't even see the kids during their birthday or during the holidays.

talk to your brother first. if you feel the children are in danger, talk to the dswd.

my problem is the mother, what if she does not cooperate? will it be possible that dswd will prioritize us in considering as legal guardians (or in adoption) since we are his relatives?

take it one step at a time. get the kids from your brother.

if it's you vs mother, mother will likely win.

but the mother left them all and has no means to feed them. she left last august and just visited the kids only once.

then you should not fear that the mother will reappear. good luck.