Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday, February 8, called on the Senate leadership to remand Committee Report No. 15 back to the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality so it can reopen hearings on the SOGIE bill.
Hontiveros lamented that she was all ready to sponsor the report on the bill that seeks to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. But no action has been done on the measure, stalling the sponsorship.
“It's now February and members of the LGBTQI+ community are asking me what happened to the bill. Why haven't I sponsored it yet? They want to know what is happening,” said Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate women’s panel and sponsor and author of the SOGIE bill.
“Madame President, I owe them an answer. And I owe them an answer in public. Here in plenary,” she further said.
The senator said she was made to understand that the majority leader has obtained 19 signatures to remand the committee report to the Committee on Women because a number of pastors still want to speak.
“This was a couple of weeks ago. Today, I am still waiting for it to be remanded. I have no illusions that the bill will sail through this chamber quickly, and I am ready to defend it on the floor as a Sponsor defends any bill—with arguments and logic.
“What I was not ready for was for this bill to be in this kind of suspension or limbo,” she pointed out.
“While I will always defer to the majority of this collegial body, perhaps some points need to be made for the historical record. *Tatalima ako pero di ako tatahimik (I will abide but I will not keep quiet),” she said.
Hontiveros pointed out she already had a fruitful and honest discussion on the topic with various religious groups and organizations who have participated during the public hearings on the bill.
“Secondly, and perhaps my dear colleagues also need to hear this in open session to allay any fears that none of the recommendations of the religious groups were accepted,” she stressed, pointing out that she already agreed on a number of concessions — these include the explicit exemption of marriage licenses in the provision on licenses.
“To make it clear that this is not the bill that legalizes gay marriages, the explicit inclusion of the principle of academic freedom and the non-disturbance of parental responsibility in the Family Code,” she pointed out.
“And I agreed to reconsider criminal liabilities on schools that impose heteronormative uniform requirements and parents who seek medical tests to determine the SOGIESC of their children. Some of you, dear colleagues, have expressed concerns on this,” she said.
The deputy minority leader said she is willing to reopen the hearings again and begin a conversation on trimming some of the criminal prohibitions on the bill.
“Mahalaga lang po sa akin na manatili ang pagbabawal sa 1) workplace prohibition — dahil ito po ay karapatan natin lahat bilang mga manggagawa; 2) expulsion from schools on the basis of SOGIE – because this is not in accord with the best interest of the child; 3) discrimination in access to emergency and necessary medical services – because this is against the principles of the universal health care law and basic humanity; 4) SOGIE-based abuse against persons deprived of liberty; at 5) discrimination in access to social protection instruments gaya ng ayuda (like government financial assistance),” she said.
Hontiveros said she has been listening to the side of religious groups for the past 23 years and is still willing to keep on engaging and listening in good faith.
“And I can engage with those who speak from a place of faith and religion being a woman of faith myself. But I was voted by the Republic to pass secular laws. Laws that protect the least of us. Laws that reflect our commitments to international law and to human rights norms,” she pointed out.
“I hope you agree with me that the oppressions that visit our LGBTQI community are real, documented and undeniable. Wag na sana natin ipagkait sa kanila ito (Let us not deprive them of this),” she stressed.
Villanueva admitted that there are still several religious groups that have expressed concerns on the bill, and showed a bunch of letters from various sectors who have opposed the passage of the SOGIESC bill.
Upon his consultation with colleagues, Villanueva said one of the options is to remand the report on the SOGIESC bill to the Committee on Rules, which he chairs, instead of Hontiveros' panel, citing Section 32 of the Senate rules.
Under Section 32 of the Senate rules " a report is returned to a committee or transmitted to another, unless it is returned for purposes of conducting further public hearings on new matters arising after the report, all previous proceedings in connection therewith shall be deemed to be void and that matter in question shall revert to its original status."
According to Villanueva, 18 senators have asked that they be given a chance to participate, and "a chance to be heard."
Some also suggested to refer the bill to committee on rules "for further study."
Hontiveros objected to the suggestion, insisting that the Senate rules uphold the jurisdiction of her committee on the bill.
After a lengthy debate, the majority voted to remand the committee report on SOGIESC bill to the Rules panel.
Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda assured the minority bloc, led by Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, that a meeting among members of the committee on rules will be scheduled to determine the chamber's next action on the SOGIESC bill.
"Let us make it clear. There is no intention whatsoever to archive it or to let it languish in the committee," Legarda said, adding that she also understands the position of Hontiveros on the matter.