THE NEW 7 WONDER CITY BECOMES A GENDER-FAIR CITY The Heritage City of Vigan takes on a progressive leap as it joins other cities and provinces in the country that have enacted their respective anti-discrimination ordinances. On the ocassion of its LGBT Night as part of the Vigan City Fiesta celebration, City Councilor Arce who heads the Committee on Human Rights together with the ordinance champion Councilor Carlo Medina and Vice Mayor Lulu Baquiran, publicly announces the new piece of legislation. In May of last year, after baring plans to our Association of Transgender People in the Philippines (ATP) Chairwoman Madam Kate Montecarlo Cordova, I together with Madam AC and Ms. Geena Rocero (international model, trans rights advocate and Gender Proud Co-Founder) trooped to Vigan and started dialogue with Hon. Mayor Eva Medina about the need for a local legislation that would afford protection to the LGBT constituency of the said locality. With the backing of a dear friend Edred Piamonte who is the City Administrator and Mayoral Staff Mee Nah, the fruitful meeting ended up with the resolution being introduced in the City Council for deliberations by Hon. Councilor Carlo Medina who championed the same. After 3 public hearings on the then proposed ordinance, Vigan City s Anti-Discrimination Ordinance covering several statuses including SOGIE was passed unanimously without heavy opposition in November of last year. The said ordinance was embargoed upon my advice pending further study. Hence, the ADO was finally made public last night. Much of the success in passing this local legislation can be credited to a sister and a dear ally Geena and madam AC who worked so hard in making sure that this one gets passed. ATP, GENDER PROUD and the ILOCOS SUR PRIDE COUNCIL take pride in this ordinance as Vigan Citys gift to the LGBT community. Overcome by emotion and joy as City Administrator Edred Piamonte handed me a copy of the anti-discrimination ordinance which I helped draft. Will remain infinitely in gratitude to all those who made this lobby a big human rights victory in Ilocandia! After Candon City, now Vigan City has affirmed its commitment to inclusive governance. Finally, both cities of Ilocos Sur now have an ADO. Next step up would be covering the entire Province of Ilocos Sur!! VIVA VIGAN!!! Agbiag ti LGBT ti Ilocandia!
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 05:02:52 +0000
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