Charles Teves
Ice Seguerra, a singer-songwriter and director of “Drag Race Philippines: Untucked”, has expressed his frustration with the current status of the SOGIE Bill and urged senators to stop delaying the process.
“Enough with the delaying tactics, enough with the excuses. Senators, stop hiding and stop delaying. Let’s bring the SOGIE Equality Bill to plenary,” Seguerra said in an Instagram post.
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Despite being approved at the Senate committee level in December, the SOGIE (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression) Bill has yet to be discussed during the first plenary session of the year on Jan. 23.
Additionally, it has yet to be scheduled for sponsorship in the Senate, raising concerns about the potential use of delaying tactics by critics of the bill.
There are rumors that Sen. Joel Villanueva, a known opponent of the bill, is attempting to persuade church leaders to write letters opposing the bill. He may even attempt to bring it back to the committee level.
As members and allies of the LGBTQIA+ community, it is imperative to keep a close eye on the progress of the bill. In addition, it is pertinent to advocate for its inclusion in discussions, particularly with Senate President Miguel Zubiri.
“I-tweet at i-email ang mga Senador na full support tayo sa SOGIE Equality Bill na i-debate na sa plenaryo. Magpost sa lahat ng social media (Tiktok, FB, at IG) at i-tag ang mga accounts ng mga Senador at mga kaalyado, lalung-lalo na sila Senate President Migz Zubiri at Majority Floor Leader Joel Villanueva,” Seguerra wrote.
Seguerra, a transgender man who was previously known as Aiza Seguerra, came out as a lesbian in 2007 and is currently in a relationship with Liza Diño, the former chairperson of the Film Development Council of the Philippines. They got married in California, United States, in December 2014, where same-sex marriage is legal.
The SOGIE bill, authored by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, aims to address discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation. The bill was supported by 19 senators out of 24 during panel discussions in December. However, the bill has been stalled in the Senate since the 17th and 18th Congresses.
