Senator wants Cebu City ordinance replicated

To expand the prevention of various acts of prejudice, Sen. Risa Hontiveros encouraged other local government units (LGUs) to replicate Cebu City Ordinance (CO) 2339.

CO 2339, or the ordinance prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability, age, health status, sexual orientation and gender identity, ethnicity and religion, was authored by former councilor and current sister-cities commission consultant Alvin Dizon. It was passed by the City Council in October 2012.

The City Government commemorated the ordinance’s sixth anniversary Tuesday, Oct. 30 by launching the first Cebu City anti-discrimination conference with Hontiveros as its keynote speaker.

“This is very important especially that Cebu City is the very first among highly urbanized cities (to have this kind of ordinance). It gives teeth at the city-level to our international commitments in international human rights conventions,” she told reporters.

The ordinance’s implementing rules and regulations was signed by Mayor Tomas Osmeña and is now subject for full implementation.

“The ordinance of Cebu City is truly an inclusive ordinance and sets the right tone socially, politically, economically, even about the kind of quality of life that’s right for a city,” Hontiveros said.

She said more LGUs are passing and implementing their own anti-discrimination legislation.

The senator is also hopeful that the Senate will soon make a vote on the proposed Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity or Expression Equality Bill, also known as the Anti-Discrimination Bill.

“Hopefully, another example of the National Government following the lead, the good example of the City. Pakiramdam ko naman sa Senado, as shown also by media reports on positions on burning issues of senatorial candidates, I’m confident that when we will vote on the bill, there’s a very strong fighting chance that it will be passed,” she said.