Sara

LGBT ‘Ninang’ influenced Mayor Sara

March 11, 2022 Ryan Ponce Pacpaco 355 views

To be open-minded, non-judgmental

EARLY exposure to an LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) family member had a profound influence on the character of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) chairperson and vice presidential candidate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

In fact, it can be argued that this experience helped mold the person that Duterte is today – an open-minded, non-judgmental leader who defends LGBT rights and all notions of equality.

Mayor Duterte shared this experience during her meet and greet with LGBT Pilipinas members at the Great Eastern Hotel in Quezon City Thursday.

“Alam niyo po nung ako ay bininyagan, dalawa lang po ang aking godparents. Mayroon ako isang ninong, at meron akong isang ninang, ‘yung ninong ko hindi po pala ninong, ninang po pala,” Duterte said.

Duterte said the latter – who is her mom’s brother – was an openly gay man during the 1970s, a time when the idea of LGBT “was not yet mainstream.”

According to the lady mayor, she would spend every summer in Manila at the home of her “ninang uncle.”

“Kaya po maaga ako namulat sa inclusivity dahil hindi ko ever narinig sa aking mga magulang, sa aking mga lolo at lola, even sa mga kapatid nila sa mga uncle ko, hindi namin pinag-usapan, kinutsa, hindi nila tinanong. Hindi nila kinuwestyon ang aking ninong na ninang,” Mayor Duterte recounted.

LGBT inclusivity pertains to equal treatment of members in the LGBT community, be it at home or in the workplace.

“Tinanggap siya ng buong-buo ng pamilya namin, kaya ako maagang namulat sa kung ano ang pagtanggap sa hindi katulad mo, kung ano ‘yung dapat na gawin na inclusivity sa pamilya namin. Kaya ganyan din po ang turo lagi ng aking mga magulang sa aking governance doon sa Davao City,” the presidential daughter said.

Because of these learnings, the Lakas-CMD official makes it a point that the LGBT community never gets left behind in her local development projects.

One such project is the “Rainbow Magnegosyo Ta Dai,” the beneficiaries of which are all LGBT.

A project centered on micro, small and medium enterprises development, Rainbow Magnegosyo Ta Dai is an offshoot of Davao local government’s original Magnegosyo Ta Dai for women.

“Sinabi ko dapat kahit na ikaw ay nagbabantay ng anak mo, housewife, dapat mayroon pa ring kita. Ginawa namin ang Mag Negosyo Ta Dai, it’s a micro enterprise para sa mga kababaihan. Pinapahiram namin sila ng pera at ini-invest nila sa negosyo, at hindi lang ‘yon, ang pinaka-importante po…ay tinuturuan sila paano mag-negosyo, paano nila paikutin ‘yung pera at dahil naging successful ang Mag Negosyo Ta Dai, doon po sa Davao City, nanganak po ‘yung project na ‘yon ng Rainbow Magnegosyo Ta Dai,” Duterte said.

“Lagi pong pinapaalala sa akin ng aking mga magulang na sa aking pagiging mayor ay dapat wala pong kasarian, walang edad, walang faith, walang creed, lahat po dapat pantay-pantay, lahat Davaoeño, lahat Pilipino,” Duterte added.

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