SOGIE equality bill deliberations in the 18th Congress of the Philippines: a persisting battle against discrimination

ABSTRACT

This article analyses the turbulent process that the House Bill No. 4982, an anti-discrimination bill also known as the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE) bill, has undergone during deliberations in the 18th Congress of the Philippines (2019–2020). The bill, which aims to protect LGBT people's rights, was first filed in 2000 and has now been refiled in the 19th Congress, making it one of the longest-running bills deliberated in the Philippines. This article explains why this bill is presently one of the country’s most crucial human rights protection laws, through analyses of the arguments presented by all the parties involved. The discussions also extend to the country's historical, societal and cultural influences that have contributed to the challenges the bill faced during deliberations. Moreover, the article draws attention to the need for the public to develop a more critical understanding of the LGBT community and the issues it faces, to help create a more accepting society.

KEYWORDS:

• SOGIE bill
• anti-discrimination bill
• Philippines
• 18th Congress
• Filipino LGBT community
• hate crime

Acknowledgement

The author would like to express her gratitude to her supervisor, Dr. Jim Rogers, for his guidance and support in improving this article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 https://www.facebook.com/notes/ladlad-party-list/ladlad-partylist-28-statement-on-christine-bersola-babaos-being-gay-article/454075591328677/.

2 This act protects everyone from sexual harassment, including men (Republic Act No. 11313 An Act Defining Gender-Based Sexual Harassment in Streets, Public Spaces, Online, Workplaces, and Educational or Training Institutions, Providing Protective Measures and Prescribing Penalties)

3 This act mandates non-discriminatory HIV and AIDS services to all who need them (Republic Act No. 11166 An Act Strengthening the Philippine Comprehensive Policy on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Prevention, Treatment, Care, and Support, and, Reconstituting the Philippine National Aids Council (PNAC), Repealing for the Purpose Republic Act No. 8504, Otherwise Known as The ‘Philippine Aids Prevention and Control Act of 1998', and Appropriating Funds).

4 https://www.facebook.com/mmprideorg/posts/4125204697506091

5 ‘An exaggerated belief that men are physically and intellectually superior to women’ (Zimmerman 2000, 147).

6 Republic Act No. 10354 An Act Providing For A National Policy on Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Dublin City University's Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences PhD Scholarship Programme.