Bataan 1st district Rep. Geraldine Roman has expressed "sadness" over the uncertain future of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression Equality (SOGIE) Bill, particularly in the Senate.

This, after the House Committee on Women and Gender Equality chairperson brought up in a statement Thursday, March 23 a possible attempt to "delay" the progress of the landmark bill in the upper chamber.

"It is sad that there is still no certainty as to when the Senate version of the SOGIE bill will be passed," Roman said.

In her statement, Roman noted that the SOGIE Bill--which aims to protect every person, regardless of their gender identity, from any form of discrimination--doesn't seem to be a priority in the Senate.

As per her statement, there are supposedly  "indications" that Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva and his father, CIBAC Party-list Rep. Eddie Villanueva, will work together to delay the passage of the proposed legislation.

The SOGIE Bill is already being processed a the technical working group (TWG) in the House of Representatives. This means that Roman's committee is close to approving the measure and endorsing it to the plenary.

Over in the Senate, the Bataan solon said a counterpart measure was filed in December 2022. It hasn't budged since.

The elder Villanueva had walked out of a previous hearing in the House regarding the proposal, while the senator said that many leaders from the sector still want to express their opinions in the Senate's discussion of the proposal.

Roman, who is a transgender woman, clarified that the SOGIE Bill does not push for same-sex marriage. She stressed that there is nothing in the proposed legislation about that issue.

Some of the latest proposals that have been approved by the Senate on second and third reading include the strengthening and protection of the country's cultural heritage; the one town, one product bill; and the no permit, no exam prohibition bill.