To ensure to protect the rights of the lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBTs) and to recognize their valuable contributions and services in the society, the ordinance for the holding of a week-long Tagum City Pride Festival each year was approved by the 7th City Council Tuesday morning at the Session Hall, third level of the New City Hall.
Lawyer Councilor Eva Lorraine Estabillo, main author of City Ordinance 771, series of 2016, said that the ordinance declared every 3rd week of July as Tagum City Pride Festival.
She thanked her co-proponent, her brother ABC Federation President Prospero “Popo” Estabillo, Jr. and the rest of the members of the new city council for the historic passage of an unprecedented piece of local legislation that recognized the LGBT community which has been giving their valuable effort and support for the development of Tagum City since time immemorial.
“The laws of LGBTs continue to be oppressed by the iniquitous treatment of society at large, primarily because of misconceptions and ignorance,” she said.
“Sadly, for our democracy. LGBTs are still considered ‘second class’ citizens when they try to exercise the rights to which they are rightfully entitled,” Estabillo added in her rationale for the ordinance.
The ordinance provided creation of steering committee to be headed by the City Mayor and appropriation of half million to one million pesos for its effective implementation. (Rural Urban News/Cha Monforte)
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