Catholic compassion demands equality

WE ARE student leaders from student governments of Catholic academic institutions, united under the pillars of respect for human rights, diversity, love, and equality. We express our support for the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill in the 18th Congress. This is a legislation that—if passed—safeguards the rights and welfare of Filipinos of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression, through government policies of acceptance and non-discrimination.

Every day, people of diverse SOGIE face discrimination. They are thrown out of their homes, rejected by their families, bullied in schools, barred from employment, denied healthcare, or ridiculed in the streets.

LGBTQ+ persons live in constant fear of stigma, harassment, and in many cases, death. These are our fellow Filipinos, ating mga kapwa, that are deprived of, and denied the full enjoyment of their rights.

The delay, and subsequent non-passage of the bill in the last Congress is nothing short of disappointing. In the 18th Congress, it is time to renew our commitment to equality for every Filipino.

Raised on the Christian values of compassion, love, and acceptance, as Filipino youth, as student leaders in our Catholic institutions, we reach out to the various groups who stand in opposition, to recall the teachings of the Church, and see that the LGBTQ+ community is no different from oneself. We strongly urge the Senate and the House of Representatives to champion the cause of equality, not just for us, but for future generations.

The time for Equality is now.

 

Signed:

 

LANCE DELA CRUZ

President

University Student Government

De la Salle University – Manila

 

QUIEL QUIWA

President

Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral ng mga

Paaralang Loyola ng Ateneo de Manila

 

MA. ALLISON S. BOBIER

President, Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral ng Miriam

Miriam College

 

ALLIAH PRODIGALIDAD

External Vice President

College Student Council

St Scholastica’s College, Manila