SENATOR Joel Villanueva has reaffirmed his commitment to advancing a comprehensive and inclusive anti-discrimination measure that goes beyond the scope of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE) Equality bill.
Villanueva underscored the need for an extensive strategy, asserting that “to achieve genuine equality and justice, we must tackle discrimination on all fronts.”
“While the SOGIE Equality bill is important, it’s imperative that we extend our efforts to combat bias based on various factors, fostering the creation of a truly inclusive society,” the Senate Majority Leader said.
He issued the statement amid renewed calls for the passage of the SOGIE Equality bill, with some supporters of the measure have taken to antagonizing him.
In a Senate budget deliberation on November 21, senators reprimanded the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) after one of its officials sought a petition ostensibly directed to Villanueva, urging for the swift passage of the SOGIE Equality bill.
This response came after Villanueva presented a video clip of lawyer Krissi Shaffina Twyla Rubin, officer-in-charge of CHR’s Center for Gender Equality & Women’s Human Rights, making the statement during a Pride Month celebration in Quezon City last June.
In the video, Rubin called on Villanueva and the other senators to “hear the voices of LGBTQ community.”
A visibly upset Villanueva expressed his displeasure. His colleagues, especially Senator Jinggoy Estrada and Alan Peter Cayetano support ls Villanueva.
Cayetano noted that opposing the SOGIE bill doesn’t equate to being against the LGBTQIA+ community.
He pointed out that Villanueva, labeled as a “bigot and anti-LGBT,” faced such accusations fueled by remarks made by Rubin during the event.
Earlier, Villanueva emphasized the importance of protecting individuals from discrimination based on age, disability, ethnicity, and other factors.
The senator acknowledged the complexity of the issue and expressed his commitment to working collaboratively with fellow lawmakers to craft
legislation that addresses the diverse forms of discrimination prevalent in society.