HOUSE Deputy Speaker and Bagong Henerasyon (BH) Rep. Bernadette Herrera on Sunday urged President Rodrigo “Rody” Roa Duterte to sign into law the landmark bill banning child marriage in the Philippines.

“President Duterte could be instrumental in ending child marriage in the country by signing into law the proposed Act Prohibiting the Practice of Child Marriage, consistent with his administration’s resolve to effect meaningful change for Filipinos,” Herrera said.

“This landmark legislation may very well be one of his important legacies,” added Herrera, one of the principal authors and sponsors of the bill in the House of Representatives.

Herrera noted that measure was already ratified by the House and Senate last September and the enrolled bill has already been sent to Malacañang for executive action.

According to the party-list lawmaker, the time has come for the Philippines to end the “longstanding disturbing practice” of child marriage.

Child marriage, she said, is a form of violence against children, especially girls.

The bill seeks to prohibit and declare child marriage as illegal and to impose penalties against violators.

Under the measure, the solemnization of child marriage and cohabitation of an adult with a child outside wedlock are considered unlawful acts.

A fine of at least P40,000 and jail term of up to 12 years await solemnizing officers, parents, guardians, or adults who fixed, facilitated, or arranged child marriage.

During her sponsorship speech, Herrera said it was such a shame that the Philippines ranked 12th worldwide in terms of absolute numbers of child marriage, citing the 2017 State of the World’s Children Report by UNICEF.

Herrera also expressed alarm over the 2013 National Demographic and Health Survey showing that 15 percent, or approximately 700,000, of women aged 20-24 years old were first married or in union before the age of 18.

The Philippine Statistics Authority 2013 survey also showed that 12.2 percent of all registered marriages in the country involved teenage brides 15 to 19 years old. This means that in that one year alone, close to 54,000 marriages had teenage brides.

“Given these alarming numbers, there is no doubt that this legislation is urgently needed,” Herrera said.