In an effort to promote racial, ethnic, and religious equality, Basilan lone district Rep. Mujiv Hataman has filed a House bill (HB) that seeks to impose legal penalties on discrimination.

The Mindanaoan solon, on Friday, Aug. 12, refiled HB 3526 or the “Equality and Non-Discrimination on Race, Ethnicity and Religion Act" in the current 19th Congress.

In the previous 18th Congress, the precursor measure, HB 2843–which Hataman was a principal author of–was approved on third and final reading but fell short when it was transmitted to the Senate.

“Sayang at hindi natin ito naipasa noong nakaraang Kongreso, pero may pagkakataon tayong muli na maisabatas ito. Dahil hangga’t hindi natin ito nagagawa, patuloy na dadami ang biktima ng diskriminasyon sa ating mga kababayan, lalo na sa hanay ng mga kapatid nating Moro at IPs (It’s a shame that this wasn’t passed in the last Congress, but we have a chance to enact it now. Because until we pass this bill, more and more of our countrymen will become victims of discrimination, especially among our Moro and indigenous brothers and sisters),” Hataman said in a statement on Aug. 12.

Under the refiled bill, discrimination in political participation; employment; education and training; delivery of goods and servies; land, business, and other accommodation; access to public places, facilities, and public meetings; advertisements and mass media; wrongful portrayal; speech and utterances, acts of hatred; analogous acts; engaging in profiling; and abuses of state and non-state actors would all be penalized.

As per the previous version of the refiled bill, HB 2843, persons found in violation of the bill’s provisions may face imprisonment between no less than 30 days and no more than six months; they may also be fined between not less than P10,000 and no more than P100,000, depending on the gravity of their violations.

“Yung simpleng hindi ka isasakay sa taxi dahil naka-hijab ka or iba lang ang suot mo ay diskriminasyon na (The simple act of not letting one ride a taxi because they wear a hijab or because they wear something different is discrimination). And this list goes on and on. Kaya importante na maipasa natin itong panukala para bigyan ng proteksyon ang ating mga kababayan laban sa diskriminasyon (This is why it is important to pass this bill so that we can protect our countrymen from discrimination),” he added.

Hataman also urged House Speaker Martin Romualdez to designate the bill as a priority legislative measure of the House of Representatives in order to expedite its approval.

“But I will defer to the wisdom of the House leadership. Whatever course this measure will take, the most important thing is that we pass it for the benefit of the people,” Hataman concluded.