Same-sex marriage in the Philippines gets personal support from a top government official

LGBTQ rights in the Philippines has found support from a top government official, who has pledged his personal support behind same-sex marriage.

Pantaleon Alvarez, Speaker of the House of Representatives, said Monday he will file a bill legalising same-sex marriage in the Philippines. He intends to sponsor it himself too, and his staff has already begun drafting it, he told local press.

The Speaker of the House is a powerful position -- third in line to the presidency, behind the vice president. The post is an elected role by the majority of the representatives in congress.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

He was reported saying: "If you look at the Constitution, there is a provision guaranteeing happiness for the Filipinos. Why would we deprive them of that? If they are happy with that, shouldn’t we support them?"

He was referring to a provision from 1987 stating that the "state values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights."

The Philippines is a majority Roman Catholic nation, and the Church has put up a strong opposition against LGBTQ issues.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Still, Alvarez is confident that his bill isn't asking for the Church to bend. "My proposal is about civil union. We do not meddle with the affairs of the Church. There’s no problem if they don’t want it," he was quoted saying in a press conference.

"The beauty of democracy is we can argue and disagree, but at the end of the day, it is the majority that prevails," said the speaker.

Alvarez has been a government worker since 1998, when he was elected congressman for his province of Davao del Norte.

The reaction from Filipino netizens has largely been positive.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Opposition from other politicians

But other politicians have expressed reservations about the bill. Danilo Suarez, the spokesperson for the minority party, suggested to Rappler that the same-sex debate was lower down a priority list for the country.

"Why do we even need to talk about that? The House will be divided. Our attention might be refocused. (President) Duterte is concentrated on drugs and peace and order. There's health, employment, education."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Another minority party leader, Lito Atienza, said he was "disappointed" that Alvarez wanted to escalate the bill "in the midst of our busy schedule...I am committed to resist it."

Atienza added that he was against the bill because it was "against the law of God, against the law of man, and natural law. marriage is just for man and woman."

Just last month, the Philippines' first transgender lawmaker delivered an impassioned speech in support of a dormant anti-discrimination bill.

Geraldine Roman said the bill, prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, would be a step forward in equal treatment for the LGBTQ community in gaining access to basic services and employment.