June is universally recognized as Pride Month, a colorful time of the year dedicated to celebrating and acknowledging the multifaceted journeys, contributions, victories, and ongoing fight for civil rights of the LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual plus) community.
While Pride Month has been progressively celebrated in the Philippines, there remain reports of discrimination, mistreatment, and the need to bear the brunt of societal attitudes that persist in the country where tolerance is widespread but full acceptance remains difficult to achieve.
Over 200 groups have urged President Marcos to certify the Sogie bill, or the “Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression” Equality bill, as urgent (“Marcos urged to certify SOGIE bill as urgent,” Inquirer.net, 6/14/24). This initiative is especially vital as it aims to secure fundamental rights and protections for the LGBTQIA+ community—rights and protections they rightfully deserve, just like any other community across the social spectrum.
I fervently hope for its enactment into law as soon as possible so that Filipinos do not have to wait for another Pride Month for this bill to be realized. As articulated by Harold Sarmiento (“Pride, and how allies can help LGBTQIA+ fight for equality, fair treatment,” Letters, 7/14/23): “To delay the passage of the Sogie bill is to do injustice to Filipinos who deserve a better life.”
Jhon Steven C. Espenido,
Surigao City