Property and Insurance Law for the LGBTQIA+ Community

The UP Gender Law and Policy Program (UP GLPP) organized and conducted a legal workshop titled, “Know Your Rights: A Legal Workshop on Navigating Property and Insurance Laws for the LGBTQIA+ Community.” This was part of the lineup of events for the 2nd Philippine Queer Studies Conference (PQSC 2024) held last October 27, 2024 at the UP School of Statistics, UP Diliman.

The 2nd Philippine Queer Studies Conference (PQSC 2024), with a theme “Bridging Queer Knowledges and Desires,” aims to allow conference participants to showcase their knowledge and skills rooted in research, creative work, and community work and conduct workshops on topics related to LGBTQI Filipinos and their experiences.

The workshop, in particular, strives to raise awareness among the LGBTQI+ community and address legal issues and challenges related to Property and Insurance Laws. It endeavors to provide comprehensive information on available legal remedies through discussions with distinguished experts in these fields. In addition, the workshop offers a platform to evaluate current practices and identify opportunities for further advancements in legal and policy advocacy.

Atty. Virginia B. Viray, a senior lecturer of Taxation Law and Corporation Law at the University of the Philippines College of Law and a member of the UP College of Law Gender Law and Policy Program, examined property rights and how LGBTQIA+ couples can protect their assets in the absence of marriage equality in the country.

Atty. Dionne Marie M. Sanchez, a lecturer of Insurance, Agency and Partnership, and Sales at the University of the Philippines College of Law, discussed insurance law, specifically life insurance, and its implications for LGBTQIA+ individuals.

Following the presentations by the resource speakers, the workshop featured a panel discussion. Attendees were encouraged to ask questions, seek clarification on the topics discussed, and share their own experiences particularly regarding the challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals and families in relation to property ownership and beneficiary designation.