House panel approves historic bill prohibiting child marriages

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MANILA, Philippines — The House committee on women and gender equality approved on Wednesday a bill prohibiting and declaring child marriages illegal, saying the practice constitutes child abuse “because it debases, degrades and demeans [their] intrinsic worth and dignity.”

The bill recommended a penalty of prision mayor in its medium period (eight years and a day to 10 years) plus a fine of at least P40,000 for anyone who causes, fixes, facilitates or arranges marriage to a person below 18 years old.

But should the perpetrator be the parent, adoptive parent, step parent or the guardian of the child, the penalty will be prision mayor in its maximum period (10 years and a day to 12 years) and a fine of at least P50,000.

They will also lose their parental authority over the child.

Enablers liable, too

For those who perform or officiate child marriages, the punishment will be prision mayor in its maximum period in addition to a fine of not less than P50,000. They will likewise be disqualified from holding public office if they are in government.

Adults who cohabit with a child outside wedlock will be sentenced to prision mayor in its maximum period and ordered to pay a fine of not more than P50,000. They also face disqualification from holding public office, whether they be private citizens or public servants.

A counterpart bill was passed by the Senate on third and final reading in November.