Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has said he proposed a win-win solution in his move to legalize same-sex union – allow civil union not just for same-sex couples but also to heterosexual couples.

In an interview with reporters Tuesday, Alvarez said he would file a bill seeking to amend the Family Code to allow civil union both for partners from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, as well as for partners of the opposite sex.

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Alvarez clarified that he only wanted civil union, not marriage, for same sex couples.

“Oo, a-amyendahan yung Family Code. I mean, hindi siya marriage ano, parang civil union, short of marriage, which is available not only to same-sex but also to opposite sex,” Alvarez said.

(Yes, the Family Code will be amended. It’s not marriage, I mean, it’s like civil union, short of marriage, which is available not only to same-sex but also to opposite sex.)

Alvarez said his proposal would allow civil union to same sex couples, as well as to heterosexual couples who wanted to live in together without getting married and still maintain property rights.

“Pwede siyang mag-apply, let’s say, ayaw mong mag-asawa gusto mo live-in lang kayo nung boyfriend mo. You can enter into civil union wherein yung sa property relationship ninyo, yung pwede kayong mag-adopt, tapos yung right to inherit siguro,” Alvarez said.

(The application could be like this: Let’s say, you don’t want to get married, you just want to live in with your boyfriend. You can enter into civil union wherein your property relationship would [be covered], you would be allowed to adopt, [and it might affect] the right to inherit, perhaps.)

Alvarez said he only wanted to have a win-win solution for all partners regardless of gender.

“Tinitingnan pa namin kung anong maganda na makatulong naman tayo, Dahil nga we have to consider na all of us want to be happy. So, bigyan natin ng karapatan yung mga tao kung papano sila, may mga options, kung saan sila masaya,” Alvarez said.

(We will see which is the better option that will allow us to help. We have to consider the happiness of all. So let’s give them their rights, the options, for them to be happy.)

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Earlier, Alvarez said he would sponsor the bill allowing same-sex union, adding that it’s about time to respect the constitutional rights of the LGBT community to be happy.

“Tingnan mo yung Constitution natin. May provisions dun guaranteeing happiness sa mga Pilipino. Eh bakit naman ipagkait natin yun? Sa akin naman, ako’y nakikisa dun sa ating mga kapatid na LGBT. Kung happy sila dun, bakit hindi natin suportahan?” Alvarez had said.

(Look at our Constitution. There are provisions that guarantee happiness to all Filipinos. Why would we deprive them of that? For me, I am with our brothers and sisters in the LGBT. If they are happy with that, why would we not support it?)

Alvarez said he would seek to amend the Family Code, which limits union between man and woman.

But he clarified that his proposal would legalize same sex union, noting that marriage should be left to the mandate of the Catholic Church.

In the 16th Congress, then Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said it would be impossible for Congress to legalize same-sex marriage in the country with its deep Catholic roots.

In 2015, openly gay lawyer Jesus Falcis III asked the Supreme Court to abolish the prohibition on same-sex marriage in the Family Code.

The Office of the Solicitor General under the previous administration of erstwhile president Benigno Aquino III opposed the petition it dismissed as “intrinsically flawed.”

Falcis asked the Supreme Court to nullify Articles 1 and 2 of the Family Code, and Articles 46 (4) and 55 (6) of the same law. Articles 1 and 2 limit marriage between man and woman; Articles 46(4) and 55 (6) cited homosexuality as grounds for annulment and legal separation. CDG

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