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Speaker Alvarez to file bill on same-sex marriage


House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Monday said he will file a bill supporting "same-sex marriage" or the the civil union of members of the LGBT community.

At a news conference, Alvarez said his bill would be his way of showing respect and upholding the dignity of LGBTs. He said he decided to craft the bill on his own volition, without prodding from any lobby group.

"Alam mo, tignan mo ang Constitution natin. May provision doon guaranteeing happiness sa mga Pilipino. Bakit naman natin ipagkait iyon," Alvarez said.

"Tayo naman ay nakikiisa sa ating mg akapatid na LGBT. Kung happy sila doon. Bakit naman natin hindi suportahan," he added. 

Asked if he would file the measure himself, Alvarez said: "Oo, pinapagawa ko na ang draft... Kakaumpisa pa lang," adding that he would still have to gather the support of other lawmakers who would co-sponsor the bill.

Alvarez clarified that his bill would touch only on the civil union of members of the same sex, and on amendments to the Civil Code of the Philippines.

"Iyong church [marriage], hindi tayo nakikialam diyan. Kung ayaw nila, okay lang, walang problema. Ito, as far as civil law is concerned," Alvarez said.

Alvarez said his proposed law, which he hopes would get passed during the current 17th Congress, would contain among others a provision on conjugal ownership.

Asked what prompted him to craft such a measure, Alvarez said: "Kasi dumadami na iyong population ng LGBT. Kailangan din natin protektahan sila."

Other solons react to planned bill 

Taguig-Pateros Rep Pia Cayetano welcomed the speaker's initiative, saying it will give way to healthy discussions on issues affecting 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," Cayetano said.

Camarines Sur Rep LRay Villafuerte, meanwhile, wants to thoroughly study the issue first before taking a stand.  He said he and several colleagues were discussing the Speaker's proposal and many were initially against it.

"Palagay ko siguro, dapat unahin muna natin i-discuss yung divorce bill," Villafuerte said.

Among those who voiced their opposition to the proposal were Quezon City Rep. Bingbong Crisologo and Navotas Rep Toby Tiangco.

Crisologo, a partymate of the Speaker, said he had long been espousing the word of God. "Clearly the Bible forbids same sex marriage. I guess I would vote against it," Crisologo explained.

Tiangco said he has friends from the LGBT sector but there is no clamor from them to legalize same sex marriage. "Sa tingin ko, dapat talaga nating respetuhin ang LGBT sector at lahat ng sektor. Pero ang pagpapakasal, para lang yon sa babae at lalaki," Tiangco said. — with Tina Panganiban-Perez/ALG/RSJ, GMA News

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