BACOOR CITY, Cavite – Cavite Vice Governor Ramon Jolo Revilla III is promoting a provincial ordinance, which upholds the right of constituents here regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity of expression (SOGIE).
Revilla, on his Facebook page (Jolo Revilla), re-posted Monday a video on Provincial Ordinance No. 200, otherwise known as the “Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) Community Protection and Recognition Ordinance, crafted by the Cavite Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial legislative council) - which he presides.
In the video, Revilla solicited public support for the passage of the House bill counterpart, which is still pending enactment.
“Kung naipasa po natin ito sa lalawigan ng Cavite, mas kayang-kaya natin ito sa buong Pilipinas (If we were able to enact this in Cavite, the more we can do it in the entire Philippines),” Revilla added.
He recently pitched to fellow awardees for this year’s ‘Oustanding Local Legislator’ of Superbrands Marketing International, Inc. his authored provincial ordinance that seeks to uphold and protect the rights of LGBTQ.
Revilla took on the occasion as he received his award in Makati City last Aug. 28, his fifth award (received for five consecutive years) since he became Cavite vice governor in 2013.
He spoke before 30 other local legislators, his co-awardees, in the said category.
As the only vice governor to receive this year’s award, Revilla reiterated the public servant’s role--that is to ensure equal right and opportunities to all, including those in the LGBTQ community.
“Dapat pantay-pantay, hindi dapat inaabuso, hindi dapat binabastos, dapat tinatrato tulad ng isang ordinaryong Pilipino (There should be equal treatment. They should not be abused, maligned, and treated like any ordinary citizen),” he said, pertaining to the LGBTQ community who still experience discrimination, maltreatment and bullying, as backed up by the steady and alarming rise of reported violence on its members for the past 15 years.
The provincial government through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), in coordination with non-government organizations (NGOs) supporting the LGBTQ community, would be directly and primarily responsible for the implementation of the provisions of the ordinance.
On the prohibited acts as specified in Section 4, once the ordinance takes effect, it will be considered unlawful to discriminate against any person and/or group of persons on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity and expression or those who belong to the LGBTQ community.
Considered discriminatory are denial of access to public services, refusal or revocation of the accreditation and formal recognition - as well as registration - of any LGBTQ Community in educational institutions, workplaces, communities and similar settings.
The ordinance also prohibits denial of access to and/or the use of private and public establishments, facilities, utilities, transportation and services, including housing, which is open to the general public.
On the subject of ‘denial’ the ordinance specifies its presence “when a person is given inferior accommodation or services and (there was) rejection of any application, entry or participation.
It also includes subjecting or forcing any person to any medical or psychological examination without the expressed approval of the person involved, except in cases allowed by law.
It will also be against the law to upload or post of pictures, videos and comments on the internet through social networking sites, websites and other social media intended or will demean, debase, degrade and humiliate a person or group of persons; as well as publication and/or use of derogatory and humiliating statements, remarks, comments, articles, videos and pictures in print and broadcast media against a person/group.
The ordinance also gives the LGBTQ equal rights to avail of medical and health services that is open to the general public.
For an effective province-wide implementation, the ordinance specifies that Cavite’s local government units (LGUs) are to observe the tenor of the ordinance and to provide for a more applicable approach in mitigating or further dissolving the social biases and impartiality of the community especially in the areas of employment, inadequate protection from abuses, being victimized on the ground of gender impartiality and any other forms of discrimination. (PNA)
