QUEZON CITY -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) led the signing of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Republic Act (RA) 11596, otherwise known as “An Act Prohibiting the Practice of Child Marriage and Imposing Penalties for Violations Thereof” on Wednesday, December 7.
Signed into law on December 10, 2021, RA 11596 promotes the welfare of Filipino children by prohibiting and protecting them from entering into any kind of child marriage that will be detrimental to their overall development as a productive citizen.
In the message of Secretary Erwin T. Tulfo, which was delivered by Operations Group Undersecretary Jerico Francis Javier, he assured the public that in crafting the IRR, the DSWD, as the lead implementer of the law, ensures that all children will be guarded against any person involved in child marriage.
“Sisiguraduhin natin na mapo-protektahan natin ang bawat batang Pilipino at matigil natin ang anumang uri ng kasal na sangkot ang sinumang bata o menor de edad (We will ensure to protect all Filipino children and end marriage involving children or minors),” Undersecretary Javier said reading the Secretary's message.
“The DSWD and other partners from the government also guaranteed that there are adequate programs for the children such as legal and counseling services, access to health and psychological services, access to educational programs, provision of skills development and livelihood assistance, and other necessary interventions to protect the victims of child marriage and their offspring, among others,” he added.
Under this act, any person who causes, fixes, facilitates, or arranges a child marriage shall suffer the penalty of prison mayor in its medium period and a fine of not less than P40,000.00. Any individual who performs or officiates a child marriage, as well as the adult partner who cohabits with a child outside wedlock shall also suffer imprisonment and a fine of not less than P50,000.
Further, if the perpetrator is an ascendant, parent, adoptive parent, step parent, or guardian of the child, they will also be imprisoned or pay a fine of not less than P50,000, and perpetual loss of parental authority.
Individuals who produce, print, issue and/or distribute fraudulent or tampered documents such as birth certificates, affidavits of delayed registration of birth and/or foundling certificates for the purpose of misrepresenting the age of a child to facilitate child marriage will also be liable.
Aside from the DSWD, other implementing agencies include Council for the Welfare of Children; Department of Justice; Department of the Interior and Local Government; Department of Education; Department of Health; Supreme Court of the Philippines; Philippine Commission on Women; Commission on Human Rights; National Commission on Muslim Filipinos; and the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples.
The Department commits to work hand-in-hand with partner agencies to ensure the seamless execution of RA 11596 and its IRR, and commits its continuous efforts for the best interest of the Filipino children. (DSWD)
