The proposed legislations on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) will continue to face rough sailing in the Senate unless its proponents agree to some amendments, Senator Francis Escudero said on Monday.
Escudero said he believes that the SOGIE-Based Anti-Discrimination bill has a better chance of being passed this year. He clarified that the SOGIE Equality and Anti-Discrimination bills are two different measures filed separately in the Upper Chamber.
Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros refiled Senate Bill (SB) No. 1600 titled “An Act Prohibiting Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity of Expression or Sex Characteristics,’” which is known as the “SOGIESC Equality Bill” in the 19th Congress.
Listed as her co-authors in the proposed measure were Senators Loren Legarda and Mark Villar. SB 1600 is currently pending on second reading at the Senate since December 7, 2022. Hontiveros said 19 of her colleagues already signed the committee report on the SOGIESC Equality Bill.
“The SOGIESC Bill in the Philippines is probably the longest running bill bar none. We’ve been filing and refiling it in the House of Representatives and now in the Senate for only 24 years,” Hontiveros said in a recent video posted on her official social media accounts.
“In the Senate, we finally had a breakthrough in December of 2022 when we got the committee report out of committee. But because of the lobby of some religious groups, some of my colleagues also moved to take the committee report back into the committee on rules,” she added.
Hontiveros noted that they are relying on the sustained efforts of the LGBTQIA+ community, who have not given up in fighting for this proposed legislation. Regardless, she welcomed the inclusive policies of local government units such as Quezon City for non-binary individuals.
Senator Imee Marcos, meanwhile, authored and sponsored SB 2396 or the ‘SOGIE-Based Anti-Discrimination Bill.” It is pending at the Senate committee level since August 9, 2023.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) urged Congress to pass the Anti-Discrimination Bill, which is considered a crucial step to a more inclusive Philippines.
Hontiveros said she is hoping the new Senate leadership under Escudero will stand for the LGBTQIA+ community not only during this “Pride Month,” but also in their everyday life as a person, by supporting the SOGIESC Equality Bill.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline Struggle for equality continues as Escudero admits ‘SOGIE’ bill faces tough battle in the Senate
