Every single Philippines representative votes against LGBTQ discrimination, in a huge win for equality

It's rare when every legislator in congress agrees on one thing, but the Philippines is clearly united behind one cause.

On Wednesday, congress approved a bill that aims to protect the LGBTQ community from discrimination. Lawmakers voted 197-0 in favour of the bill, marking a landslide win for equality in the country.

It was the third and final reading of the human rights bill, called the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression Equality (SOGIE) bill.

The bill seeks to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. If it eventually becomes law, it'll ensure that people don't face harassment, or get denied access to public services, and jobs. The bill asks that those guilty of discrimination will be punishable by large fines, or imprisonment.

It's been just about a year since Geraldine Roman, the Philippines' first transgender lawmaker read an impassioned speech, urging fellow members of the House to vote yes for anti-discrimination.

On Wednesday, she posted a celebratory message on Facebook, noting that there were no negative votes, and none of the lawmakers abstained from voting.

"I also want to thank the former 'opponents' of the bill who are now on our side, and who now also wave the flag of Equality," she posted in another Facebook message made on the same day.

Ramon Rocamora, one of the House members, was quoted as saying during his vote: "I vote yes to gender equality, and I vote yes to love."

"With pride, I vote yes," voted representative Christopher De Venecia.

This final reading doesn't mean that the SOGIE bill becomes law just yet. After clearing this bar, the bill goes up for approval at the Senate level, after which it still needs to be signed by the president.

In 2001, an early version of the bill was filed, and similarly passed this stage of approval by the House unanimously -- only to get stalled at the Senate level. Since then, the bill has been refiled in various versions, but each have been shelved in favour of other debates, or been halted along the way.