Vice President Sara Duterte recommended the expansion of the social protection programs for the LGBTQIA+ community in time for the celebration of the Kasarilayaan 2025 OVP Pride Month Reception at Laus Group Event Center in San Fernando, Pampanga, on Wednesday.
“Kasarilayaan” is a term coined from the words “kasarian” or gender and “Kalayaan” or freedom. It is a celebration of the Filipino LGBTQIA+ community.
In her message, the vice president underscored that the Office of the Vice President (OVP) has seen firsthand the resilience, the creativity, and the entrepreneurial spirit within the LGBTQIA+ community.
“We have witnessed how, given the right tools and support, they can flourish, create jobs, and contribute significantly to our economy. That is why we strongly recommend expanding our national social protection programs to explicitly cover non-traditional families,” she said.
The vice president clarified that it is not just about fairness but smart economics and building a truly inclusive society where everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, has the opportunity to achieve financial stability and contribute their full potential.
“To build a society that embodies equity and justice, we must turn our attention to the foundational pillars of our society: our laws. Let us cast our gaze forward, recognizing the vital role of a robust legislative agenda in securing the rights and dignity of every LGBTQIA+ Filipino,” Duterte said.
Duterte highlighted some of the crucial areas where OVP believed legislative and executive action is not just beneficial, but essential such as the passage of a Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Act, such as the spirit embodied in Senate Bill No. 2766, which is not just about protecting a specific group but about upholding human dignity for all.
“As enshrined in global human rights covenants. This is a universal human obligation, and it is time we enshrine it into national law,” she said.
Duterte also mentioned Senate Bill No. 449, proposed by Senator Robinhood Padilla, which seeks to amend the Family Code, defining civil unions as legal relationships for same-sex couples, and granting rights in areas like property, inheritance, adoption, and social security.
“I invite scholars to study the social and economic implications of the Civil Union Act as we endeavor to address the unique circumstances of civil partners, moving beyond mere accommodation to genuine, tailored inclusion,” she said.
The vice president added that the OVP advocates for the creation of a National LGBTQIA+ Commission.
She explained that this proposed body would serve as the comprehensive lead agency, coordinating with government bodies, formulating evidence-based policies, and developing vital empowerment programs—especially for vulnerable sectors like LGBTQIA+ youth who too often face rejection, school dropout, and homelessness, including the highest of the percentage of the HIV affected patients.
Drawing insights from partners like LGBT Pilipinas Inc., OVP also identified other critical policy measures such as strengthening the Safe Spaces Act (R.A. No. 11313).
According to the vice president, six years after its enactment, there is a need for more extensive implementation to address gender-based harassment, especially with evolving technologies and this includes establishing LGBTQIA+ focal desks in law enforcement agencies and offices, creating halfway homes and emergency shelters for survivors of abuse, and setting up dedicated helplines for psychosocial support.
On the Expanded Access to Mental Health and HIV Health Services, the vice president emphasized that more gender-sensitive counselors must be deployed in public health centers, expand life-saving pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) programs, integrate SOGIESC modules into health education, and bolster community-based outreach.
The vice president is also pushing for the development of gender-sensitive evacuation plans, including separate shelters, and ensuring the participation of LGBTQIA+ persons in local disaster risk reduction and management councils.
“To genuinely serve the community, we urgently need disaggregated data on LGBTQIA+ wellbeing, vulnerabilities, and population figures from agencies like the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Department of Health. These are not just abstract legal concepts; these are the very fabric of a truly equitable and resilient Philippine society,” she said.
Duterte added that the OVP, having seen firsthand the impact of both the presence and absence of targeted support, stands ready to champion legislative efforts that support the LGBTQIA+ community.
She also called upon the lawmakers, civil society partners, and every Filipino to join the OVP in its crucial endeavor.
Duterte stressed that OVP is the only national government agency that has established a readily identifiable, comprehensive, and targeted support for the LGBTQIA+ community in terms of employment and livelihood programs at the national level.
“Let us transform our aspirations into concrete laws, building a Philippines where every single person can live with dignity, security, and pride. Together, let us lift and uplift LGBTQIA+ voices, enrich dialogue, and strengthen our collective calls for equality and inclusion within Philippine society,” she said.
