MikeLigalig.com

By Artemio Dumlao (The Philippine Star) Updated June 26, 2011 12:00 AM


BAGUIO CITY, Philippines  – At least 10 couples are exchanging vows today as the City of Pines holds its first mass same-sex wedding.

After 2 p.m., the couples will be pronounced “partners for life,” veering away from the conventional “husband and wife” pronouncements.

The Catholic Church, though eerily silent, is obviously angry at the turn of events.

“These unions are an anomaly,” said Bishop Carlito Cenzon of the Baguio-Benguet Vicariate.

Baguio witnessed its first same-sex wedding in November 2003. Today, the city will experience the first mass same-sex wedding, preceding the 5th Baguio Lesbian, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Parade.

“Marriage is for man and woman. What is wrong is wrong. This is an insult to the institution (of marriage) and we should not support such,” Cenzon said.

He added that the Church and Filipino society cannot accept such an anomaly because “it is a disorder.”

Unperturbed, the Metropolitan Community Church of Metro Baguio (MCCMB) is hosting the mass same-sex wedding and has prepared out pre-wedding counseling before the event in various areas in the country.

It has also handed out to interested LGBT couples their own “Requirements for Holy Union.”

“We should pity these people. They are probably having a hard time. Although we can understand them as we are trying to accept them, however, unions (as husbands and wives) are not exceptions (to the Church). Accepting LGBTs are not synonymous to accepting them also in their sexual activities,” Cenzon said.

Eight years ago, David and Alex (not their real names), both professionals, exchanged wedding vows and rings in front of their families and friends.

David, a cultural arts worker, and Alex, a business consultant, formalized their relationship in a holy union officiated by Fr. Richard Mickley, founder of the Order of St. Aelred and known to have officiated same-sex marriages elsewhere in the country




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Seeking UN support

Meanwhile, Filipino LGBTs are seeking the support of the United Nations in their fight for human rights.
“Rights violations allegedly committed by the government and private parties against transgender Filipinos may soon be subject to international legal censure and corrective measures, if we get the attention of the United Nations,” Cye Reyes during an LGBT forum here.

“Already, three Filipino transwomen has filed a suit with the UN Human Rights Committee under the First Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” said lawyer Evalyn Ursua.

The suit focused on the refusal of the government to recognize the change of their gender in legal documents and to address discrimination in the public and private sectors.

Ursua said she is confident that the UN Human Rights Committee will make findings of human rights violations against transsexuals by the Philippine government and direct it to pass laws and undertake other measures addressing gender identity and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Carol Galvez of the Cordillera People’s Alliance and Oscar Atadero of ProGay Philippines both cited the need for more advocacy highlighting the needs of transgenders.

Galvez zeroed in on the rising incidence of hate crimes committed against transgenders in Metro Baguio.

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teddy Casiño, spokesman of the Makabayan Coalition, in a message to the forum, urged support for the anti-discrimination measure he filed in Congress, House Bill 1483, which seeks to protect gender identity rights and help transgenders get free access to many public facilities that are frequently denied them.

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