House Committee approves SOGIESC equality bill

BY RICHMOND TABANGCURA

The House Committee on Women and Gender approves Gender Identity, Gender Expression, or Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) equality bill on May 24, after a committee debate.

House Rep. Arlene Brosas of the Gabriela Partylist confirmed the panel's agreement to approve House Bill 511 after a thorough deliberation on May 23.

Explanatory note of House Bill 551 states that the SOGIESC seeks to ensure that no more LGBTQIA+ individuals will be denied access to basic rights due to their SOGIE, including the right to work, the right to an education, the right to access health services, facilities, and establishments, among others.

Similar bills seeking to prohibit discrimination of people on the basis of their SOGIESC such as the House Bills Nos. 222, 460, 3418, 3702, 4277, 5551, 6003, and 7036, together with other proposed laws that would prohibit discrimination against people based on their SOGIESC, were consolidated in the report.

"This is a step towards the long-overdue enactment of legislation which will prohibit all forms of discrimination and harassment against the LGBTQIA+ community," Brosas said.

Several sectors have expressed their concerns on the pace of the bill’s legislative process under the House of Representatives and the Senate.