Hontiveros HONTIVEROS

Hontiveros urges ‘swift’ passage of SOGIE Equality bill

June 15, 2022 People's Tonight 270 views

TIME to end gender-based discrimination.

This was stressed by Senator Risa Hontiveros, who maintained the need to protect everyone regardless of his chosen gender.

“I’m ready to get back to work. We will use this 19th Congress to carve the runway to pass the SOGIE Equality Bill at long last. We will use this as a fresh opportunity to renew and prioritize our fight for ALL sexualities and genders. Oo, kasama tayong mga heterosexual cisgender sa laban ng mga LGBTQIA+ kapatid natin,” said Hontiveros who insisted the need to pass the SOGIE Equality Bill for the incoming 19th Congress.

The SOGIE (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression) Equality Bill recognizes the fundamental rights of every person regardless of sex, gender, age, class, status, disability, religion, and political beliefs.

This means that the law protects members of the LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) from discrimination and marginalization.

According to Hontiveros, it’s about time “we erase marginalization to give equal opportunity and access to healthcare, housing, public services, education, employment, and licensure.”

She also clarifies that the SOGIE Equality bill will also cover hate crimes and harassment, and those who will commit discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ will be fined P100,000 but not more than P500,000, or imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years or both.

“As we face the difficulties of navigating the ruins of a post-pandemic world, this is our chance to build something good and lasting. Ito na ang pagkakataon natin gawin namang tama at patas ang mga institusyon natin. Mga kababayan, it is time we begin the process of healing the wound created by the gap in our laws that has allowed for bullying, ostracization, and violence to way too many Filipinos. It is time we forge a country that includes all, loves all,” Hontiveros said.

The bill faced a rough sailing in Congress. In May 2019, it became the longest-running bill under the Senate interpellation period in the country.

In December 2020, Hontiveros finally reintroduced the proposed law in the 18th Congress after it failed the get the nod of legislators in the 18th Congress.

“Mga mahal, you are more than Pride Day or Pride Month. You have every right to exist as you are in the day-to-day. You deserve these grand celebrations, these spaces of resistance; but you also deserve the ordinary moments, sa pang araw-araw. The everyday chance to be yourselves when you wake up to your family, when you take your coffee, when you meet your friends, when you go to work, in joy and sadness, in sickness and in health. You deserve to feel at ease. You deserve to be safe,” Hontiveros said as she vowed to push for the rights and protection of LGBTQIA+ in the Philippines.

AUTHOR PROFILE