QUEZON City is ready to answer the call of the Commission on Human Rights to push for a gender sensitive approach in disaster response.
According to District 1 Councilor Peter Anthony “Onyx” Crisologo, the city has passed the Gender Fair City Ordinance in 2014, and that it is very much prepared to respond to the call of Kriss Shadfina Twayala Rubin.
As officer in charge of the Commission on Human Rights’ Gender Equality and Women Human Rights Centre, Rubin called to create a disaster or emergency response plan that would consider the needs of the members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.
“Our disaster risk reduction and management office has already been trained on gender sensitivity. All of the other departments have also been trained,” Crisologo told the Manila Standard.
In a recent forum on disaster preparedness and response organized by Mayor Herbert Bautista, Rubin said discrimination and some form of disregard still exist of the gender of a person during post-disaster response, especially in evacuation centers.
“Rescuers treats gays and lesbians as men during rescue operations,” she said.
Each barangay is proposed to establish an organized group that shall represent LGBTQs in disaster preparedness, and response planning and execution, according to the participants.
Bautista, also Metro Manila Council and Regional Peace and Order Council chairperson, said disaster risk management must inclusive.
“The Office of the Mayor of Quezon City will now go down to the barangay level, then there will be training. We already have the lists of persons with disabilities and LGBTQ groups. So, we will go down to the barangay. Our office will spearhead this,” he said.