PHILIPPINES: Quezon City Council Bans LGBT Discrimination, Includes Affirmative Action

Quezon City Council has become the latest Philippines city to approve an ordinance banning discrimination against LGBT people

Quezon City Council has become the latest Philippines city to approve an ordinance banning discrimination against LGBT people, reports FRIDAE.

Late last month, Agusan del Norte passed a similar anti-discrimination ordinance (ADO) that protects people irrespective of their sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.

The ordinance was passed unanimously on September 29th.

The ADO improves on a 2003 resolution preventing discrimination against LGBT people in the workplace by providing venues to educate employers and educators on the rights of LGBT individuals.

Praising the inclusion of affirmative action in the ADO, Ging Cristobal, project coordinator for the Asia Pacific region of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission and vice chairperson of the Quezon City Pride Council, said it will also be useful to everyone in the community, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity and expression.

In an interview with Philippines LGBT magazine Outrage, Quezon Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte highlighted the importance of an ordinance that will protect the rights of LGBT individuals:

“There are many LGBT [people] in our city, and I believe they are such a strong and important force in our city's progress and development. There's so much they can do for the city if we help them.”