Akbayan pushes for bill to end discrimination vs gays

MANILA, Philippines - Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros on Friday reiterated her call for the immediate passage of a measure that seeks to criminalize discrimination against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBTs). Her statement was issued even as the House Committee on Human Rights began its inquiry on the Cebu rectal surgery scandal. "It is not just a question of the ethical standards breached by the medical professionals and interns involved. There is no doubt that human rights violations were committed," she said. She added that the congressional inquiry would focus on human rights and legislative remedies that Congress could provide. In the same statement, Hontiveros said that discrimination against lesbians and gays continues to persist in the country's healthcare system. "Some ob-gynecologists refuse to treat lesbian patients because they are not considered to be 'women'. Hospitals still refuse to accept blood donation from gay men because of the HIV stigma," the partylist lawmaker said. "The so-called Cebu rectal surgery scandal is therefore not an isolated case. As long as discrimination against LGBTs is ignored, it would just go on and on," she warned. Hontiveros said that Congress must take concrete steps to provide a just closure to Jan-jan's case and help in ending discrimination against gays. "In particular, Akbayan challenges the House Human Rights Committee and its counterpart in the Senate to approve immediately the Anti-Discrimination Bill," she said. The Anti-Discrimination Bill (HB 956) is a measure that criminalizes discrimination against LGBTs in the areas of education, employment, healthcare, public service, among others. "If enacted, section 4(e), which refers to access to healthcare, and section 4(g), which deals with access to all facilities - including hospitals – getting equal services, could provide a remedy to cases such as Jan-jan's. It prohibits discriminatory, inferior, and unfair treatment given to LGBTs," Hontiveros clarified.- GMANews.TV