DAVAO del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez has refiled his pet bill seeking the recognition of civil partnerships of couples by giving rights to same-sex and even heterosexual partners who want to live together without having to marry each other.
In filing House Bill No. 6782 or the Civil Partnership bill, Alvarez said citizens “should not be excluded from society just because of the person they love, they must also be treated with equality before the law.”
“Yes, I refiled it. First time was in the 17th Congress, then 18th Congress, and I am refiling it again in the 19th Congress,” he said.
“This is my third term and third attempt for the Civil Partnership bill. Who knows, it can be strike three, or it can be third time’s the charm. I’m not new to this. Some battles you win, some you don’t. But in either case, there is truth to the saying that politics is the art of the possible. Let’s file this, get the word out, and let us see what happens.”
Alvarez made the announcement yesterday as the country was celebrating Valentine’s Day.
Previous versions of the measure were referred to appropriate committees for deliberations but none reached passage for second and third reading, something that could be expected since the Philippines is predominantly a Catholic nation.
Alvarez urged critics of the bill to sit down and talk to find a “common ground. But if they want a fight, okay lang din, sanay tayo diyan (it’s okay, too, we’re used to that).”
“Bring it on,” he said. “We allow traditional relationships to have that benefit, that opportunity, but how about others who can’t get married? Why should we deprive them of the opportunity to be a witness to, and being witnessed in return, by their special someone?”
Under the Family Code of the Philippines, only heterosexual couples can enter into a marriage, thus excluding members of the LGBTQ+ community and their relationships.
Other issues that the bill seeks to address are the lack of legal rights, responsibilities, and protections for non-traditional unions.
“Imagine, you build a life together, and your partner isn’t even an heir by default? Kapag mamatay sila, walang makukuha ‘yung partner nila kahit sila ‘yung nagtulungan (When they die, their partner won’t get anything even if they were there for each other). For medical emergencies requiring life or death decisions, they’re not even recognized as the partner, they are excluded. Hindi sila papapasukin, kasi hindi sila asawa or family (They’ll be denied entry because they’re not a spouse or family). How can that be right?”
Vice President Sara Duterte, at a mass wedding ceremony sponsored by the Parañaque City local government yesterday, also called for legal protection for same-sex couples.
“Marami pong gender ngayon na kinikilala ang ating society. Naisip ko, sana sa mga susunod na taon, ‘yung ibang gender, katulad ng mga LGBTQI, ay mabigyan din sila ng proteksyon ng batas sa kani-kanilang lang mga partners at sa kanilang mga relationship (Our society recognizes many genders today. So, I thought that, hopefully in the next few years, other genders, such as LGBTQI, will also be given the protection of the law with their partners and their relationships),” she said in her Valentine’s Day message.
Duterte said she has many friends in the LGBTQ community and “I want them to be given protection like us who can get married.”
Duterte, during the ceremony, called on newlyweds and soon-to-be parents to practice family planning and responsible parenthood for them to live a productive and healthy married life.
In the same event, which was held at the SM Bicutan Activity Center, Duterte recalled her time as former mayor of Davao City when they identified reasons why some families cannot get out of poverty.
She said poor family planning and uncontrolled number of pregnancies are some of the reasons some families are stuck in poverty.
