Bill banning child marriage gets House nod

by Delon Porcalla – The Philippine Star, 7 Sep 2021

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives approved yesterday on third and final reading a bill that seeks to ban child marriage amid the rising cases of teenage pregnancies as reported by the Population Commission.

Through online voting via Zoom, lawmakers approved House Bill 9943 or An Act Prohibiting the Practice of Child Marriage.

“It’s time to end child marriage, which is a form of violence against children,” House Deputy Speaker Bernadette Herrera, one of the authors and sponsors of the measure, said.

Herrera lauded what she branded as “a landmark bill banning such disturbing practice.”

The measure seeks to prohibit and declare child marriage as illegal. Under the bill, the solemnization of child marriage and cohabitation of an adult with a child outside of wedlock are considered unlawful acts.

The bill proposed a fine of P40,000 and penalty of up to 12 years in prison against solemnizing officers, parents, guardians or adults who facilitate or arrange child marriages.

In 2019, the United Nations World Population Prospects ranked the Philippines as the 10th country with the highest number of child marriages at 808,000.