CALIB-OG, CYREL GRACE

HARANAY, JULIANA
STEM B-12

SENATE BILL NO. 689

“We declare that human rights are for all of us, all the time: whoever we are
and wherever we are from; no matter our class, our opinions, our sexual
orientation.” – Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary-General. Senate Bill No.
689 also known as the Anti-Discrimination Act proposed by Senator Francis
Pangilinan aims to protect the rights of individuals regardless of sex, age,
class, status, ethnicity, color, disability, religious and political beliefs, sexual
orientation, or gender identity. It seeks to prevent discrimination,
harassment, and violence in various aspects of life, such as employment,
education, healthcare, and public services.

This legislation represents a significant leap forward for the Philippines in

the ongoing struggle for equality and human rights, particularly for those
who identify with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities or
expressions (SOGIE). While it has garnered support from those advocating
for equality and inclusivity, it also faces opposition from those concerned
about religious freedom and traditional values.

Supporters of the bill argue that it is necessary to promote equality and

inclusivity, as well as to address the long-standing issues faced by the
LGBTQ+ community in the Philippines. They believe that everyone should
be treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their sexual orientation
and gender identity or expression.

On the other hand, opponents of the bill express concerns about its
potential impact on religious freedom and traditional values. They argue
that it may infringe upon the rights of individuals and organizations who
hold different beliefs regarding sexual orientation and gender identity.

Although we are not opposed to this bill being approved, as we have seen in
today’s time, many LGBTQ+ people struggle to fit in and some people
experience difficulties as a result of their life status. These people's rights
should also be recognized as well. However, some issues should be
addressed before such legislation is passed.

Instead of promoting equality, the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

or Expression (SOGIE) Equality bill will only “unduly give special rights” to
some members of society at the expense of others, said Citizen’s Battle
Against Corruption (CIBAC) Partylist Rep. Eddie Villanueva. He also said
that “a law against the discrimination of members of the LGBTQ+
community is no longer needed since there are already various laws against
harassment”. Villanueva warned that “the passage of the SOGIE bill will
threaten freedom of speech and religion, as well as curb academic
independence of schools.”

Furthermore, Ryan Borja Capitulo, an obstetrician, gynecologist, and a

member of the LGBTQ+ community also expressed his fear that the SOGIE
bill might be used to “stifle or violate” people’s freedom of religion and their
freedom to live out their faith. Like Eddie Villanueva said, he also
stated “There is no need to pass these proposed bills given that there are
already many existing laws that safeguard the rights of every citizen against
discrimination.” These are (1) The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the
Philippines, (2) Presidential Decree No. 442 “Labor Code of the Philippines,”
(3) Republic Act No. 386 “Civil Code of the Philippines,” (4) Republic Act No.
3019 “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act,” (5) Republic Act No. 6713
“Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and
Employees,” (6) Republic Act No. 3815 “The Revised Penal Code of the
Philippines,” (7) Republic Act No. 7877 “Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of
1995,” and the (8) Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He draws also
scenarios that could result in court cases against religious institutions, and
here’s one of them. He said, “What will happen to ‘all boys’ or ‘all girls’
Catholic schools that will not accept transgender children as students
because this would go against the catechism they teach? What will happen
to Catholic and Christian offices or companies like bookstores, travel
agencies, radio stations, television networks, or religious organizations that
will not hire LGBT employees because it violates their faith-based beliefs?”.
He stated that under this scenario, legal action might be taken against
churches, religious communities, and faith-based groups, culminating in
fines of up to P500,000 or imprisonment for up to 6 years.

Both popular and academic literature is rife with works debating and
detailing the morality of being LGBTQ (Bidell, 2016; Cheng et al., 2016;
Corvino, 2013; Eliason et al., 2011; Mapayi et al., 2016; Rowan et al., 2019;
Van den Akker et al., 2013). Bidell (2016) writes, “As part of the religious,
legal, and scientific triumvirate, we played a central part in developing
discriminatory, biased, and stereotypic perspectives castigating LGBTQ
individuals as immoral, deviant, disordered, and even dangerous.”

We believe that every person's rights should be respected equally and fairly,
regardless of who they are. No matter how different we may be from one
another, the bill urges everyone to learn more about treating one another
with kindness and understanding. By doing this, we can make our nation a
kinder, more welcoming environment where we may all live in harmony. The
passage of Senate Bill No. 689 gives us hope that our country is moving
towards a better future where everyone is treated kindly and fairly,
regardless of differences. Being a part of a nation that respects the rights
and sentiments of all its citizens makes us proud. But because there is a
chance that the law will be abused because of the given special rights, we
cannot fully state that we favor it. With that being said, we cannot expect
people to change their beliefs in order to accommodate legislation that
violates their fundamental right to freely practice the faith that they
support. Furthermore, this bill will go against the religious principles that
people believe, and they might feel that it violates their right to practice
their religion freely.

Overall, Sen. Francis Pangilinan's SOGIE Bill aims to address the ongoing
discrimination experienced by individuals. It seeks to establish legal
protections, promote equality, and create a more inclusive society for all
Filipinos, regardless of their SOGIE. This bill is a powerful reminder that, as
a nation, we can stand together against discrimination, leading with our
hearts and embracing every individual with open arms, regardless of their
SOGIE. Although it has gained support from individuals who promote
equality and acceptance, it is opposed by those who are worried about
religious freedom and traditional beliefs. Therefore, before passing such
a law, a few issues need to be resolved. We cannot say that we support or
oppose the SOGIE bill but as an individual, we have the right to be treated
equally no matter our differences.

Sources:

https://pressone.ph/im-lgbt-and-i-oppose-the-sogie-bill-ob-gyn/

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2019/8/29/Eddie-Villanueva-
SOGIE-bill-LGBTQ.html

Bidell, M. P. (2016). Mind our professional gaps: Competent lesbian, gay,

bisexual, and transgender mental health services. Counselling Psychology
Review, 31(1), 67-76.

Cheng, Y. H. A., Wu, F. C. F., & Adamczyk, A. (2016). Changing attitudes

toward homosexuality in Taiwan, 1995–2012. Chinese Sociological Review,
48(4), 317- 345.

Corvino, J. (2013). What’s wrong with gay marriage? The Philosophers'

Magazine, (62), 33-39.

Eliason, M. J., Dibble, S. L., & Robertson, P. A. (2011). Lesbian, gay,

bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) physicians' experiences in the workplace.
Journal of homosexuality, 58(10), 1355-1371.
Mapayi, B. M., Oginni, O. O., Akinsulore, A., & Aloba, O. O. (2016).
Homophobia and perceptions about homosexuality among students of a
tertiary institution in Nigeria. Gender and Behaviour, 14(3), 7624-7637.

Rowan, S. P., Lilly, C. L., Shapiro, R. E., Kidd, K. M., Elmo, R. M., Altobello,
R. A., & Vallejo, M. C. (2019). Knowledge and attitudes of health care
providers toward transgender patients within a rural tertiary care center.
Transgender health, 4(1), 24-34.

Van den Akker, H., Van der Ploeg, R., & Scheepers, P. (2013). Disapproval
of homosexuality: Comparative research on individual and national
determinants of disapproval of homosexuality in 20 European countries.
International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 25(1), 64-86.