The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines announced on Tuesday it has completed the construction of restrooms designed for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transexual persons at 15 airports it operates nationwide.
“For advocates, installing communal toilets in the airports is a step towards gender awareness development and protection of the rights of the LGBTQ+ community,” said CAAP chief information officer and spokesperson Eric Apolonio.
The especially-designed restrooms were built at the CAAP-run commercial airports in Iloilo, Bacolod, Roxas, Laoag, Legazpi, Naga, Virac, Busuanga, Laguindingan, Dipolog, Butuan, San Jose, Basco, Marinduque, and Tandag.
“In addition, a gender-neutral restroom has also been built at the CAAP Pasay central office,” said Apolonio.
CAAP has appropriated five percent of its budget or P400 million for its Gender Awareness Development projects as authorized by Republic Act 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women and Executive Order 273, otherwise known as the Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development.
“Safety in bathrooms is a pivotal concern for non-binary people today; and through the construction of these gender-neutral restrooms in CAAP-operated airports, the agency can proactively promote gender sensitivity at various points of its policies, programs, and activities,” said Apolonio.
“The idea was first established during a CAAP gender sensitivity forum where several LGBTQ+ members shared concerns of feeling discriminated whenever they use the comfort rooms,” he added.
Apolonio said among the latest airports to open its gender-neutral restrooms this year are the airports in Basco, Marinduque, Virac, Bacolod, Roxas, and Butuan.
“Aside from these communal restrooms, diaper-changing and breastfeeding rooms are also being maintained to assist nursing mothers better,” he said.
Apolonio said the aviation regulator is aiming to work further towards a more gender-inclusive environment in all of the 42 commercial airports it operates.
He added in order to eradicate and minimize all forms of discrimination in all its areas and airports, the agency will continue to set its standards to accommodate the LGBTQ+ community within and outside the agency.