MANILA, Philippines – Nilinaw ni House Committee on Women and Gender Equality chairperson Geraldine Roman nitong Lunes, Marso 3, na ang panukalang SOGIE Equality Bill ay hindi lamang magiging kapakinabangan sa mga miyembro ng LGBTQIA+ community kundi maging sa lahat ng mga Filipino.
Aniya, ang SOGIE ay nangangahulugan na sexual orientation, gender identity, at gender expression, na ang lahat ng tao ay mayroon umano.
“Many people think SOGIE is just for one marginalized group, a minority [one at that] which is the LGBTQIA+ community. Maaring ito ang dahilan kung bakit hindi siya nabibigyan ng karampatang kahalagahan. But the truth of the matter is that the SOGIE Equality bill will benefit all,” pahayag ni Roman sa isang press conference.
“Kung ikaw ay isang straight guy and you are applying for a job and then you are discriminated against, kahit na qualified ka, dahil pinagkamalan kang gay or bakla, you can use the SOGIE equality bill. But then again, how many cases like that happen in our country when it’s [usually] the other way around? Normally it is the LGBTQIA+ community that is being discriminated against,” dagdag pa ng mambabatas.
Dagdag pa, dapat umanong gumawa ang mga mambabatas ng batas na mag-aalis sa mga mamamayan sa kanilang marginalized situation, at sinabi pang may ilan sa Senado na ayaw pag-usapan ang mga benepisyo ng panukala.
“The problem is that our friends, some friends in the Senate, simply do not want to hear of the SOGIE Equality bill. If you recall, it was passed in the [Senate] Committee on Women and Family Relations led by Senator Risa Hontiveros. But it was hijacked,” sinabi pa ni Roman.
“Instead of being discussed at the plenary…it was sent back, remanded to the Committee on Rules. When, for the longest time, the SOGIE Equality bill has always been heard in the Committee on Women and Family Relations. For what reason? Strategic maneuverings, perhaps? And they promised we will discuss it soonest. Ang tagal na na-‘soonest’ na yan siguro dapat sinulat natin ‘forthwith’.”
Samantala, umaasa naman si Roman na gagamitin ng Kamara ang nalalabing session days sa Hunyo para aprubahan ang panukala sa ikalawa at ikatlong pagbasa.
“We are still hopeful that for the last six session days, we can act on these measures. Being a progressive lawmaker is not just about words. It is about action and producing results,” aniya. RNT/JGC
