By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY — The Bahaghari and Rainbow Rights on Monday (April 28) launched the unified and comprehensive seven-point LGBTQ+ Agenda for the May 12 midterm elections and beyond.
During the press conference at Kamuning Restaurant Cafe, it was highlighted that the LGBTQ+ Agenda was formed from the current situation of LGBTQ+ communities in different spheres.
Reyna Valmores Salinas, Chairperson of Bahaghari, said “For the first time in Philippine history, LGBTQ+ Filipinos nationwide and internationally have created a unified LGBTQ+ Agenda — a comprehensive list of policy demands by LGBTQ+ Filipinos in the realm of civil and democratic rights, the economy, education, health, politics and sovereignty.”
“Ito ang nagsisilbing kahingian ng komunidad bago, habang, at kahit na tapos na and eleksyong 2025,” Salinas added.
Salinas enumerated the following seven-point 2025 LGBTQ+ Agenda:
— Comprehensive and inclusive legal protection and recognition which include the immediate passage of a national anti-discrimination law, marriage equality or “Same Sex Marriage”, and gender recognition policies.
— Inclusive Schools Now, which includes the integration of SOGIESC education and awareness, ending repressive uniform and grooming policies, and opposing militarization in schools and higher education institutions.
— Comprehensive and free healthcare, which entails improving domestic funding for healthcare, free medical services through state-funded healthcare, transgender healthcare, and mental healthcare.
— Wage increase for all, which includes the institution of a national minimum wage anchored on the family living wage, pegged at PhP1,200 in current calculations.
— Jobs creation and social protections, which involves abolishing contractualization and promoting and proteting the right to unionize.
— Genuine land reform and national industrialization.
— Independent foreign policy as a tool of protection of national sovereignty and self-determination.
Salinas cited the cases transgender students who were forced to cut their hair, as well as the case of 10 students who recently stopped studying because they feel that they are not anymore safe in schools.
“Bahaghari is definitely whole-heartedly supporting the Gabriela Partylist in the May 12 elections, who helped in the change of culture and mindset against discrimination and bullying againt the LGBTQ+ community,” Salinas said.
Salinas added that majority of the membership, not only the leadership of the Bahaghari are students, are pushing for equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community.
According to Salinas, Bahaghari was one of the complainants against Pasig City congressional candidate Atty. Christian “Ian” Sia for his alleged “misogonistic” remarks against women during one of the campaign sorties in the city.
Pura Luka Vega of Rainbow Rights Philippines, said that the seven-point agenda is not only for the LGBTQ+ community, but for all Filipinos.
A “drag artist”, Vega said that “queer people” are also included and covered by the United Nations International Convention on Human Rights.
He slammed the “culture of violence” targetted at the particular members of the LGBTQ+ community.
“Our rights is inherently ours just like your rights. We are also taxpayers. We are also an important part of the society,” Vega said.
“We have received reports that ‘trans students” were victims of ‘bullying’ committed by the school administrators themselves,” he added.
Vega stressed that they are also helping the “human rights defenders” and they are helping out with other sectors of society that need their help.
They referred the cases to lawyers in order to stop discrimination and bullying against “trans students”.
Yell Teresa, Chairperson of Bahaghari PUP, said that the students want to be recognized. They want to study. They should be protected. They should be safe from studying.
Teresa cited the cases of “bullying” in the universities, which in the first place, should not have happened.
“We want safe spaces in the universities away from militarization. It’s the right of students to have freedom from discrimination,” she said.
Teresa stressed that there are many good laws such as the “Anti-Bullying Act”, however, the full implementation of the law is lacking, hence “bullying” still persists.
Nohmsater Diego, of Kilusan ng Manggsgawang Kababaihan, said that the regional minimum wage does not address the need for basic necessities.
“The PhP1,200 minimum wage will address the basic necessities of the LGBTQ+ community as well as the national industrialization will solve jobs security in the society,” Diego said.
Sarah Elago, 1st Nominee of Gabriela Partylist, expressed gratitude to the Bahaghari and the Rainbow Rights and put at stake the Gabriela Partylist in the seven-point 2025 LGBTQ+ Agenda against inequality and discrimination and support the equality and SOGIESC.
“Part and parcel of our support is the strengthening of the existing laws, including the ‘Anti-Bullying Act’,” Elago said.
“The Gabriela Partylist is a principal author of the SOGIESC Bill in the House of Representatives in the 19th Congress, as wel as the ‘Safe Spaces Act’ or ‘Bawal ang Bastos,” she added.
Elago stressed that they will continue to push for the SOGIE Bill even in the local government units.
They also urged for the passage of the SOGIESC Equality Bill and pro-LGBTQ+ laws to be clear electoral priorities and the 2025 midterm elections.
The LGBTQ+ Agenda is spearheaded by Bahaghari and Rainbow Rights, and was attended and/or contributed to by numerous community organizations such as PUP Kasarianlan, LGBTQ+ workers groups such as BE GLAD, and even faith-based organizations such as Open Table MCC. ###
