How young is too young to get married? Pinoys were shocked after finding out a 10-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl married in a “traditional Maranao wedding” in early January. The lavish ceremony was featured in a same-day edit by Tuludan Studios, a Iligan-based video production company. “We absolutely love how traditional Meranao weddings are making a comeback these days. There’s something so beautiful about heritage and the way it’s woven into this wedding ceremony,” read the caption on Facebook.

First of all – what?

If you thought you read that wrong, you didn’t. The union was between a 10-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl, an “adorable couple,” according to the production house’s caption on social media.

Some would argue that describing a pair of pre-teens as “adorable” would be valid if they were dressing up as adults for a school project. But seeing as this is real life and a union like this should only be made by consenting adults, Pinoys were understandably disturbed.

“This is definitely not love from the parents for their children but rather business! Sorry for the children but it is what it is, wake up your parents should know better,” read one comment.

“The law should do something about this. Children cannot speak for themselves, and they’re in the care of ignorant and foolish adults. We’re so doomed,” said another.

PSA: Child marriage is illegal

A major triumph to start the new year: The Prohibition of Child Marriage Law (RA 11596) has now been enacted!

The passing of this landmark legislation will be the first step in reclaiming the space with women and children who have been forced into marriage. pic.twitter.com/53GBmdmiXn

— Plan International Pilipinas (@planphilippines) January 6, 2022

It’s hard to believe that something as archaic as child marriage is still considered an authentic tradition in some parts of the Philippines, especially since there is already a law against it.

In 2021, former president Rodrigo Duterte signed a law criminalizing child marriage. Republic Act (R.A.) No. 11596, also known as An Act Prohibiting the Practice of Child Marriage and Imposing Penalties, states that the cultural practice “perpetuates discrimination, abuse, and exploitation of children.”

“The State thus views child marriage as a practice constituting child abuse because it debases, degrades, and demeans the intrinsic worth and dignity of children,” stated the law.

Anyone who arranges a child marriage is liable to imprisonment of up to 12 years and a Php 40,000 fine. If the perpetrator is a parent or guardian of the child, that fine could go up to Php 50,000 plus a perpetual loss of parental authority. The same goes for any person who officiates a child marriage and an adult partner who cohabits with a child outside wedlock.

Child marriage is now a CRIME in the Philippines. Anyone facilitating or solemnizing child marriages could end up in jail.

Great news. Regardless of culture and tradition, child marriages rob young girls and boys of their dreams. It’s about time this is criminalized in the PH.

— Mara Cepeda (@maracepeda) January 6, 2022

One would think that RA 11596 and the threat of over a decade in prison would do away with the practice, but child marriage remains a persistent problem in the Philippines. Despite the law, many children, particularly girls, are still forced into marriage, often due to poverty, cultural norms, and a lack of awareness about their rights. These factors, coupled with weak law enforcement and limited access to education and resources for vulnerable communities, continue to fuel the practice.

“We need to leave these traditions behind.”

After a long fight by lawmakers and advocates, the Philippines now has a total ban on child marriage in the country.

READ: https://t.co/qxm1hyqyGO pic.twitter.com/nQQLDAorWE

— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) January 6, 2022

The Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) did express alarm over the “void” Maranao traditional wedding between the 10- and 14-year-old. Executive Director Angelo Tapales said in an interview that the agency is seeking the help of the local government concerned. He also reiterated that RA 11596 “applies to everyone, regardless of religion or culture.”

“Child marriage is a violation of children’s rights that affects their development. Often, children involved in early marriage are forced to drop out of school, become parents early, and face a high risk of health complications,” the agency said.

“Shameful behavior. There is no place for a culture that enables child marriage in the modern world. We need to leave these traditions behind,” read a comment from a concerned Pinoy online.

It goes without saying that a decision as monumental as committing to a marriage should only be made by an adult with, as Gen Zs would put it, a fully-formed frontal lobe. How many of us remember and laugh at the juvenile decisions we made when we were 10 or 14? The drama of our pre- and teenage years that we could only look back on with a fond shake of the head? At that age, a child’s only problem should be solving math problems, reading as many books as possible, and maybe discovering the beauty of first-time crushes.

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