The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) is intensifying its awareness campaign on anti-child marriage law in Davao City.
Lawyer Marlisa Gallo, CSWDO head, in an interview over the Davao City Disaster Radio on Monday, said the CSWDO will help orient the cultural groups that practice child marriage so they could understand the law.
Gallo is referring to Republic Act No. 11596, also known as “An Act Prohibiting the Practice of Child Marriage and Imposing Penalties for Violations Thereof”, which was signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on December 10, 2021 and was publicly released on Malacanang on January 6, 2022. Its IRR has been signed by DSWD and various agencies on December 2022 but its official signed copy has not been published yet as well as its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).
She said the CSWDO has already conducted a symposium for concerned indigenous groups last year and will conduct it again this month to intensify awareness of the said law.
She added the law aims to protect the emotional and health wellness of children who are introduced prematurely to married life.
Based on the law, any person who arranges the marriage of a minor can be imprisoned for up to 10 years and subject to paying a fine of not less than P40,000 and if the violator is found to be a parent or guardian, the penalty increases to up to 12 years of imprisonment and they will be subject to pay a fine of not less than P50,000.
The same penalty applies to anybody who officiates a child marriage.
