The leader of the Lower House said he wants same-sex marriage be legalized in the Philippines.
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez revealed he wants to make same-sex marriage be legal in the Philippines, to allow male-to-male and female-to-female wedding.
This was disclosed by Alvarez, a key ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, who said he is filing a bill to legalize same-sex marriages.
In a press conference at the House of Representatives, Alvarez said, “Dumadami na yung population ng LGBT. Gusto ko lang ipadala ang mensahe na iginagalang natin ang karapatan na.”
[The population of LGBTs is increasing. I want to tell them that we respect their rights]
He even cited that the Philippine Constitution even guarantees a person’s happiness.
Alvarez said the bill is being drafted but still looking for a co-sponsor for the bill.
Despite this plan, Alvarez clarified the planned bill will not cover marriages solemnized by the church, but will only cover civil marriage.
Other members of the Kamara also commented on Alvarez’s plan.
House Deputy Speaker Pia Cayetano welcomed Alvarez’s initiative. “It will pave the way for healthy discussions on these issues that affect the lives of millions of our kababayans in the LGBT community.”
“Inabot ko pa po yung time that certain issues were considered taboo like the RH Bill, and it took a long while for us to even attempt to discuss this in what I feel is a healthy and a productive way. But I feel that the time has come that we should be able to set aside our biases, our discomfort, because as legislators, we should be able to talk about this issue whenever it affects the lives of our kababayans. And so I look forward to this measure that will be filed by the Speaker of the House,” she said.
Despite Cayetano’s support, some lawmakers have apprehensions on the said proposal.
Buhay party-list Rep. and Senior Deputy Minority Leader Lito Atienza said, “We are very much bothered by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez’s statement that he would sponsor a bill that would seek the legalization of same sex marriage. Marriage, as defined by law, is a union between a man and a woman. We are ready to defend the rights of anyone especially those in the LGBT community. But marriage should exclusively be, as intended by nature, for a man and a woman. I am quite disappointed that the Speaker would make such a commitment. We thought all along that his priority is federalism and not same sex marriage. We hope that he will change his mind.”
When Alvarez visited Bacolod City on Friday, he called on the church to let the government do its duty to stop poverty by controlling the population.