MANILA, Philippines — The Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression or SOGIE Equality Bill will be moving to the plenary level after being approved for consolidation at the committee level in the House of Representatives.
The bill has been languishing in Congress for more than 20 years, since its first version was filed in 2000, due to opposition from conservative and evangelical groups.
PANTAY national convenor Anna Cubacub said it is historic that the measure was approved in principle and would be presented to the plenary for the second reading.
“Usually, after the first initial hearing, (the measure) will return to the technical working group because of opposition from evangelical and other opposition groups,” Cubacub told The STAR.
“That’s the reason why advocates are saying that it is historic, because it’s shocking that at the committee level it was already adopted in principle for consolidation,” she added.
Cubacub credited the initial victory to the “decisiveness” of the committee’s chair, Laguna 1st District Rep. Ann Matibag, and several others who support the bill.
“The fight is not yet over. The bigger challenge is for us to advocate for the majority of the representatives to agree, to say yes to equality and to push it,” Cubacub said, as she remains hopeful that the bill would become a binding law against gender discrimination.
“We need to pass the SOGIE Equality Bill this time around. With more allies and equality champions on our side, the 20th Congress can be an equality Congress,” she added.