THE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has released alarming data revealing a significant increase in child marriages in the Philippines, with girls disproportionately affected. In 2023, over 200 girls aged 17 and below were married, more than three times the number of boys in the same age group who wed.
According to Marjorie Villaver, officer in charge of the PSA Vital Statistics Division, 233 girls and 71 boys under 18 had their marriages registered in 2023. The youngest bride was 13, and the youngest groom was 12. The figures paint a stark picture of the prevalence of child marriage, a practice that violates international human rights conventions and severely impacts the well-being of young people.
The disparity between girls and boys is further highlighted by the data on adolescent marriages. In 2023, 12,630 marriages involved adolescent females under 20, four times the number of marriages involving adolescent males (3,058).
A significant portion of these marriages (54%) involved adolescent females marrying men aged 20 to 24, with another 22.5% marrying men aged 25 to 29. This reveals a pattern of older men marrying significantly younger girls. Registered marriages between adolescent males and females accounted for a small percentage (4%) of the total marriages in the country.
The PSA’s findings extend beyond marriage to encompass the concerning rise in teenage pregnancies. National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa expressed alarm at the fact that approximately 10% of registered births in 2023 were to mothers aged 19 and below. This statistic underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions. The number of mothers aged 10 to 14 has also shown a disturbing upward trend since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising from 2,113 in 2020 to 3,343 in 2023.
While the number of live births to mothers aged 15 to 19 has fluctuated, the overall figures remain significant, indicating a persistent challenge.
These statistics highlight the urgent need to address the root causes of child marriage and teenage pregnancy in the Philippines.
While Republic Act 11596, signed in 2022, aims to end child marriage by criminalizing various acts related to it, the sheer scale of the problem demands a multi-pronged approach encompassing education, economic empowerment, and stronger enforcement of existing laws.
The continued rise in child marriages and teenage pregnancies underscores the need for increased awareness, improved access to healthcare and education, and robust support systems for vulnerable young people. The future well-being of these children and the country as a whole depends on effective and immediate action.
