THE National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Davao Region office is conducting an intensified information drive throughout the region, particularly among Muslim tribal communities, to spread awareness that the age-old practice of holding child marriages is now prohibited by law.
Signed into law in late 2021, the Republic Act 11596, or “An Act Prohibiting the Practice of Child Marriage and Imposing Penalties for Violations Thereof” seeks to prevent child marriage which is commonly practiced by several cultural communities. The law contains penalties consisting of fines and imprisonment for persons who participate in, arrange, or facilitate child marriages. These marriages are also considered void ab initio (void from the beginning).
Based on the Family Code of the Philippines, the minimum age for marriage is 18 years old for males and females.
“Nakalibot na po kami sa buong Davao Region for the purpose nga maipabatid naming ang batas na ito (RA 11596) kasi for the Muslim Filipinos specifically this is a practice and may-resistance. Although with our frequent collaboration, intervention, and information dissemination, na ginagawa natin wherein hini-highlight natin ang punitive na aspect ng batas… well medyo nagkaroon siya ng deterrent (We were able to go around the whole Davao Region to spread the new law RA 11596 because for Muslim Filipinos, this is [child marriage] a practice and there is resistance to the law. Although with our frequent collaboration intervention and information dissemination, where we highlight the punitive aspect of the law, there is already a deterrent),” lawyer Cheryl Limbing, Chief Legal Affairs Division of NCMF Davao Region said.
According to Limbing, those participating, facilitating, or arranging child marriage can suffer imprisonment of more than six years and a fine of P40,000.
“Na-open na ang mind ng mga kapatid nating Muslim Filipinos na as much as possible we have to abide by the law,” Limbing said.
She said in their information drive, they are either partnering with the local government units or they go directly to the Jemaah (community). During the second day (June 17) of the Eid’l Adha ‘Peacetival’ 2025 at SM City Davao, they will be holding a lecture on RA 11596 to spread awareness on the outlawed practice of child marriages.
She said the lecture is not just for Muslim Filipinos, but this is also for other cultural communities who have been allowed the practice before.
Limbing added that they have not caught an offender of the law or a child bride in the Davao Region though they have received reports of the practice.
In a 2021 study by the Bangsamoro Women Commission, there were about 88,600 child brides in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm). PIA DAVAO