DSWD seeks P8M budget for special body on LGBTQIA concerns

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is seeking at least P8 million in its 2027 funding for a special committee that crafts policies for the LGBTQIA+ community.

During a House briefing on the DSWD's proposed P241.2-billion budget for 2027, Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) did not approve the department's proposed P8 million allocation for the committee.

"We made representations with the DBM to actually create a line item for the special body on LGBTQIA. Unfortunately, it was not granted. The allocation we were asking for was P8 million to run that office," Gatchalian said.

"Hopefully, the P8 million will be granted. That would give them more resources to come up with better policies and conduct better research on what the community needs and what new programs the department should run," he added.

Gatchalian was responding to a manifestation by Akbayan Party-list Representative Perci Cendaña, who questioned the committee's reported budget of less than P2 million this year.

"According to news reports, their budget this year is below P2 million. So imagine operating an office with a huge mandate with a budget of under P2 million. That is very small. Will the Secretary confirm this?" Cendaña said.

The special committee was created through an executive order issued by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2023.

The committee was established “to ensure the country’s continuous compliance with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

However, Cendaña said the lack of funding for the committee indicates that it is not a priority of the administration.

"If there is no budget, it means it is not a priority. So if it is not a priority, it means this is just pinkwashing. That is why we will measure the Marcos administration's commitment to the LGBTQIA community through the budget it allocates for programs for our community," Cendaña said.— MCG, GMA News