Northern Luzon LGBTQ+ community reignites clamor for SOGIE bill passage

BY JOSE EMMANUEL CAPONES JR.

In a bid to kick off this year’s Pride Month, Northern Luzon LGBTIQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and more) community, alongside allies, continued to echo calls for the passage of the bill seeking to protect individuals from discrimination based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression (SOGIE).

CALLS FOR EQUALITY | The LGBTQIA+ community, together with advocates, gather for a discussion on SOGIE and Anti-Discrimination Ordinance on June 3, Saturday, at the Ili-Likha Theatre in Baguio City, as part of the annual Pride Month celebration. - Emman Capones

During a pride discussion on Saturday, June 3, advocates stressed the importance of the SOGIE Equality Bill in addressing the ongoing prejudice against the rainbow community.

“Ang first step sa paglalaban ng SOGIE Equality Bill is to accept and to really identify the problems that exist and that is discrimination. Ang point natin ngayon ay … magkaroon tayo ng leverage at equal playing field para sa community, at napakalaking impact nito kasi kikilalanin tayo na nag-e-exist, na totoo tayo, at ang struggles natin ay dapat sinusolusyunan ng ating lipunan,” Baguio Safe and Sound Cities Program Project Coordinator Happy Ruz said.

Ruz also urged Congress to enact the proposed law to better shield the LGBTQIA+ community from abuses with legal remedies.

“Ang problemang kailangan din natin tingnan dito ay ang ating mga legislators are in denial sa existence natin, in denial sila sa ating experiences ng discrimination at harassment. Gusto natin ma-legistate siya [SOGIE Equality Bill] at maparusahan ang dapat maparusahan. We want to end the cycle of impunity among sa mga nag-di-discriminate, among sa lahat ng lumalabag sa karapatan ng bawat isa,” he added.

Meanwhile, Atty. Hendrix Bongalon, Gender Law and Policy Program officer at the University of the Philippines College of Law, pointed out that the equality bill is inclusive of every individual.

“Isang kailangan maintindihan ng lahat na ang SOGIE Equality Bill is actually not a class legislation, because SOGIE Equality Bill is for all. Hindi lang members ng [LGBTQIA+] community ang may SOGIESC [sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics], lahat tayo ay may SOGIESC,” he said.

National efforts

On May 23, the House of Representatives Committee on Women and Gender Equality approved the SOGIE bill, which is awaiting further deliberation by the plenary before it reaches the Senate.

Meanwhile, the draft legislation was reverted to the committee level in February in the Senate as various religious groups expressed concern over the lack of consultation from them in the discussions of the proposed measure.

Different versions of the SOGIE Equality Bill have been filed since 2000, with the late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago and former Akbayan representative Loretta Rosales as pioneers under the 11th Congress. However, 23 years later, the bill has yet to be approved by both the House and the Senate.

Local legislations

While a national law is still pending enactment, several local government units (LGU) in the country have already passed an Anti-Discrimination ordinance (ADO) in their area, which also seeks the same objectives as the SOGIE Equality Bill.

Bongalon claimed that there are around 40 ADOs already in place across the nation.

“Baguio City, Batangas, Bataan, Dagupan, Cebu, Davao, [and] Manila were able to pass ADO. In the meantime, na wala tayong national law, at least for the places na may ADO, may certain level of protection ang mga tao from discrimination and harassment,” he explained.

However, Baguio City Councilor Mylen Yaranon stressed that the enforcement of ADOs in the country is not carried out effectively due to the absence of implementing rules and regulations (IRR).

“On February 20, 2017, we [Baguio councilors] passed Ordinance Number 13 prohibiting discrimination and enforcing equality before the law. However, six years na [ang nakakalipas], sad to say, wala pang IRR, and I think wala pa talagang may IRR sa mga LGUs,” she said.

In response, Bongalon demanded that LGUs appropriately implement the ordinance.

“Our LGUs have to understand that kung may gusto tayong i-enforce, hindi siya natatapos sa pag-e-enact ng ordinance, kailangan natin ng IRR. The main challenge remains to be the passing of an IRR so that ADOs will be implemented,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ruz asserted that the passage of the equality bill would better protect the LGBTQIA+ community.

“Our community has been oppressed for so long. Ang gusto natin [ay] ang batas na may pangil at ang makakapagbigay sa atin noon ay ang national legislation. Kailangan natin yung batas na kaya talaga tayong i-protect,” he expressed.