MANILA, Philippines — Having experienced discrimination at times for having a dark skin tone, Senator Nancy Binay now wonders if there’s also a need to pass a measure that would protect people like her.

At the hearing on the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (Sogie) Equality bill, Binay expressed hope that discussions on discrimination should cover everybody and not just gender.

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“I mean for example ako, I’ve been discriminated (because) of my color. Does that mean that I need to file a bill to protect people like me?” she asked.

“So sana ‘yung discussion natin when it comes to discrimination should be more universal, should be more encompassing,” she added.

Instead of passing the Sogie bill, Binay suggested to just incorporate it to the Anti-Discrimination measure that has been filed in the Senate.

While she also supports the comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Bill, Senator Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate committee on women, underscored the need for a separate Sogie measure.

Hontiveros likened the Anti-Discrimination Bill to Magna Carta of Women where reinforcement piecemeal legislation, like Sogie bill, is passed.

“So in the same way as we explore, supporting bills – ‘yung comprehensive Anti-Discrimination bill and the Sogie Equality bill – we’re trying to see how they can complement each other,” she said.

“But we continue to look at the Sogie equality bills to find particular protections against discrimination based particularly on Sogie,” Hontiveros added. /kga

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