Transgender lawmaker joins military

MANILA, Philippines — The first transgender member of Congress, Rep. Geraldine Roman of Bataan, has joined the military.

Roman said she took her oath as a reserve officer of the Army on Wednesday, “making me the first transgender military officer of the country.”

“I commend the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for allowing LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) members to serve the country in uniform,” she said.

“All patriotic Filipinos must be allowed to apply for military service, regardless of gender, sexual orientation and identification. After all, war and disaster do not recognize gender,” she added.

Roman proposed the restoration of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program for Grades 11 and 12.

She was given the rank of lieutenant colonel. 

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana administered her oath in ceremonies attended by AFP chief of staff Rey Leonardo Guerrero and Roman’s mother Herminia, whom she succeeded as representative of Bataan’s first district.

Roman is eyeing a Senate seat in next year’s elections under the ruling party PDP-Laban. She was a former member of the Liberal Party.

Roman joined the ranks of lawmakers who are military reservists, including Senators Manny Pacquiao and Loren Legarda and House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas. – Jaime Laude