Chiz urges passage of anti-discrimination bill

Independent vice presidential candidate Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero yesterday urged the government to take practical steps to safeguard the rights and welfare of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community by passing the anti-discrimination bill.

“I ultimately believe that each and every Filipino should have equal rights, access to basic social services, and should be protected from all kinds of discrimination,” Escudero said in a statement.

Escudero was referring to Senate Bill No. 2358 (Anti-Discrimination bill) which he co-authored along with Sen. Grace Poe-Llamanzares.

The measure seeks to make any form of discrimination a “crime against humanity and human dignity.”

The bill primarily prohibits discrimination not only on the basis of sex, gender or sexual discrimination but also on the basis of ethnicity, race, religion or belief, language, disability, educational attainment and other forms of bias.

“I fully believe that no one should be subjected to discrimination whoever you are, wherever you come from. The state should treat everyone equally and allow you to exercise your rights as a citizen,” he said.

Social justice Escudero pointed out that a sector of society that is often overlooked is also repeatedly stigmatized by different discriminatory remarks.

“I believe in the basic principle in social justice that those who have less in life should have more in law,” the senator said.

“As what is stated in the UN Declaration of Human Rights, where the Philippines is signatory, recognizing the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,” he pointed out.

The bill is still pending at the Senate committee on cultural communities; social justice, welfare and rural development and finance.

Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao earlier drew flak on social media for comparing LGBTs to animals.