What is SOGIE Bill?

● SOGIE Bill (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression) also known as Anti-
Discrimination Bill is a series of House and Senate bills that were introduced in the 17th,
18th and 19th Congress of the Philippines, which aims to set into law measures to
prevent various economic and public accommodation-related acts of discrimination
against people based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression and
therefore to punish those who are involved in such discriminatory and homophobic acts.

SOGIE
● SO: Sexual Orientation
● Gl: Gender Identity
● E: (and) Equality

Authors of SOGIE Equality Bill

● Principal Author: Sen. Risa Hontiveros

What is the current state of SOGIE Bill?

● This article analyses the turbulent process that the House Bill No. 4982, an anti-
discrimination bill also known as the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression
(SOGIE) bill, has undergone during deliberations in the 18th Congress of the Philippines
(2019-2020). The bill hasn’t enacted in Law, which aims to protect LGBT people's rights,
was first filed in 2000 and has now been refiled in the 19th Congress, making it one of
the longest-running bills deliberated in the Philippines.

Ano ang mga pinagdaanan ng SOGIE Bill?

● The earliest version of the bill was filed in 2000 as the Employment Non-Discrimination
Bill. Seventeen years and many variations since, the bill finally passed the House of
Representatives, only to be stuck again in the Senate. By May 2019, the SOGIE Equality
Bill officially became the longest-running bill to be under the Senate interpellation in
Philippine history. The bill was archived once again by the end of the 17th Congress and
refiled in the next one.

● The bill faces stiff opposition from religious groups and conservative politicians on the
ground while disinformation about it festers online. With social media platforms
struggling to contain disinformation, LGBTQIA+ activists are challenged to find creative
ways to push back and reclaim the narrative from the mud of lies laced with hate online.

● Meanwhile, as the bill languishes in Congress, millions of queer Filipinos continue to be

vulnerable to abuse, violence, and discrimination. This adds to the many forms of
inequality faced by the LGB Q At community, including the lack of same-sex marriage
and near zero presence in legislation and development policies.

● Reporting for Rappler, journalist Don Kevin Hapal aims to apply data forensics to
investigate disinformation around the SOGIE Equality Bill, both in the real world and
online. Leveraging natural language processing and network analysis, the investigation
will build an understanding of online disinformation narratives and examine the influence
operations at play. The investigation will explore how the virtual discourse, media
coverage, and disinformation networks shape real-world events and influence the bill's
fate.

Why SOGIE Bill is a must?

● The SOGIE Bill is an anti-discrimination bill that seeks to end any type of
genderbased stereotypes and discrimination. It recognizes the fundamental
rights of every person regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. It
aims to provide an equal opportunities for everyone in accessing basic social
services, opportunities, healthcare, protection, and justice while acknowledging
and breaking down the barriers that exist for people with diverse sexual
orientation.

Who’s in favor of SOGIE Bill?

In the 18th Congress, just eight senators signed the committee report. The
following were the 19 who signed the report and expressed "strong and immediate
support to move the bill forward" according to Hontiveros:
● Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel
● Senator Sonny Angara
● Senator Imee Marcos
● Senator Cynthia Villar
● Senator Nancy Binay
● Senator Bato dela Rosa
● Senator Grace Poe
● Senator Mark Villar
● Senator Francis Tolentino
● Senator JV Ejercito
● Senator Robinhood Padilla
● Senator Raffy Tulfo
● Senator Jinggoy Estrada
● Senator Lito Lapid
● Senator Chiz Escudero
● Senator Loren Legarda
● Senator Bong Go
● Senator Bong Revilla