UP COLLEGE OF LAW FACULTY MEMBERS STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR THE URGENT PASSAGE OF THE SOGIESC EQUALITY BILL

We, the undersigned Faculty Members of the UP College of Law, declare our strong and unequivocal support to the campaign for the urgent passage of the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, or Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) Equality Bill.

In making this stand, we recognize the widespread stigma, discrimination, and marginalization faced by members of the lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) community. Many of them have been deprived of their freedoms and right to livelihood, education, health, and public services, as well as access to opportunities and privileges, on the basis of their SOGIESC. They also experience various forms of exploitation, violence, and repression, in an environment that harms their well-being, and prevents them from fully realizing their potential.

These injustices hurt the LGBTQIA+ community, and ultimately, all of us. As educators from an institution committed to equality, justice, and the rule of law, we hold that an affront to any member of the LGBTQIA+ community is an affront to our social fabric, and undermines our shared respect of human dignity. We therefore echo their call for measures that will provide them sufficient protection, and allow them to enjoy the same rights and privileges available to all.

We believe that the SOGIESC Equality Bill will respond to such a need, where the current set of mechanisms fails.

As it is written, the SOGIESC Equality Bill is a responsive measure to the widespread lack of information and awareness of society, and the even more widespread incidents of hate and harassment against individuals on account of their SOGIESC. It explicitly penalizes discrimination, exclusion, and preferential treatment that affect the community, and clarifies the role of government agencies in resolving cases. It also holds the State accountable in implementing social protection and diversity and inclusion programs for the community, and ensuring their empowering portrayal in the media. All these provisions are aligned with our longstanding commitments to instruments promoting human dignity, such as the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, Convention on the Rights of the Child, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.

The undersigned Faculty Members are steadfast in the position that the SOGIESC Equality Bill is not an arrogation of additional privileges to members of the LGBTQIA+ community, contrary to what is claimed, but is, instead, a protection of everyone’s right to be treated with the most basic tenets of human decency and respect, as a necessary consequence of everyone’s duty to act with justice, give everyone their due, and observe honesty and good faith.

We encourage our students to contribute to the LGBTQIA+’s campaigns, as part of the UP student’s social responsibility towards a just and humane society. We urge them to stand behind the SOGIESC Equality Bill as a response to an urgent need, especially of a disadvantaged and marginalized sector.

Finally, we call on our lawmakers to stand on the right side of history, and urgently move for the passage of the SOGIESC Equality Bill that will help build a society free of discrimination, and uphold the rights of all.

Signed,

1. Malagar, Leo B.
2. Berberabe, Darlene Marie B.
3. Concepcion, Danilo L.
4. Palacios, Andre C.
5. Battad, Evelyn (Leo) D.
6. Banez, Emerson S.
7. Espenilla, Jacqueline Joyce F.
8. Gatmaytan, Dante B.
9. Grecia-De Vera, Gwen
10. San Buenaventura-Dy, Michelle B.
11. Tamase, Paolo S.
12. Tiu, Michael T., Jr.
13. Yarcia, Lee Edson P.
14. Acosta, Abraham Rey M.
15. Albao, Myk Gregory L.
16. Baguilat, Raymond Marvic C.
17. Balisacan, Ryan Hartzell C.
18. Banayat, Hermilia C.
19. Bandon, Charadine S.
20. Bonoan, Cristina Regina N.
21. Borja, Niel Anthony S.
22. Borromeo, Carlo Raphael C.
23. Bronce, Roentgen F.
24. Calica, Dan P.
25. Canlas, Jerome D.
26. Coronel, Sandra Marie O.
27. Cruz, Jonas Miguelito P.
28. De Castro, Michael Christopher C.
29. Dela Cuesta-Tantuico, Fina Bernadette A.
30. Deriquito-Mawis, Maria Soledad Margarita C.
31. Dilag, Jocel Isidro S.
32. Enage, Kim Boysie A
33. Escaño, Eduardo C.
34. Escueta-Duavit, Elvira Veronica D.
35. Figueroa, Roberto L.
36. Gamboa, Jayvy R.
37. Go, Carlo Miguel Romeo S.
38. Guerrero, George Mitchell S.
39. Guinto, Celeni Kristine G.
40. Hernandez, Abelardo G.
41. Hernandez, Carlos, Jr. S.
42. Jacoba, Anthony Raphael V.
43. Jimenez, Ildefonso R.
44. Jumamil, Theodore Joseph M.
45. La Viña, Antonio Gabriel M.
46. Lazo, Hilton A.
47. Legarda, Katrina T.
48. Ligutan, Armando Virgil D.
49. Litong, Glenda T.
50. Llasos, Marwil N.
51. Loanzon, Victoria V.
52. Lozada-Marquez, Marianne P.
53. Macariola, Paolo Dominic G.
54. Malit, Ryan Anthony S.
55. Martin-Funelas, Criselda S.
56. Medalla, Joan Therese C.
57. Morales, Claude Albert D.
58. Muyot, Alberto T., Jr.
59. Ortiz, Lawrence Gerard T.
60. Pagayatan, Froilyn D.
61. Pambid, Renato M.
62. Pangan, Rene Chester A.
63. Paraños, Roddel R.
64. Pedron, Divina Gracia E.
65. Pingul, Carla S.
66. Quevedo, Rogelio V.
67. Quiñones, Bayan Joseph A.
68. Rasul, Salma Pir T.
69. Reyes, Graciello Timothy D.
70. Reyes, Oliver Xavier A.
71. Rosales, Tanya Renee F.
72. Salazar, Roderick R.C., III
73. San Juan, Teodulo Antonio G., Jr.
74. Santiago, Senando Angelo R.
75. Sibal-Pulido, Simonette E.
76. Solis, Jose Miguel B.
77. Tan, Mary Rose S.
78. Tobias, Ana Patricia R.
79. Tugade, Ruby Rosselle S.
80. Vargas-Trinidad, Flordeliza C.
81. Vasquez, Raul T.
82. Villanueva, Susan Pearl D.
83. Villareal-Fernando, Ernestine Carmen Jo D.
84. Viray, Virginia B.
85. Vitug, Marianne Crielle G.
86. Yu, Anthony Charlemagne C.