Human soul Exhibit targets discrimination

CEBU, Philippines – Individuals with Human Immuno-deficiency Virus, transgenders and homosexuals are being harassed and maligned for being different and for being HIV positive, but they are fighting against it.

On its final year of implementation, the United Nations Development Program together with the Health Action Information Network and the TLF Share Collective launched “Human Soul”, a multimedia exhibit aimed at supporting the Anti-Discrimination Bill, at the Cebu City Hall social hall yesterday afternoon.

The exhibit highlighted the necessity of passing the Anti-Discrimination Bill in the country and featured 12 individuals. Seven of them are transgender, four have HIV while the other one is a homosexual.

These individuals shared their feelings, experiences, fears, hopes and their complaints on the issue of dishonor and discrimination through photos, printed words and audio.

It was in 1998 when the Anti-Discrimination Bill was first introduced to Congress. While it was not passed back then, two partylists are eager to have it finally passed in Congress, each one filing its own version of the bill.

Akbayan Partylist representatives Kaka Bag-ao and Walden Bello filed House Bill No. 515 while Bayan Muna Partylist Rep. Teodoro “Teddy” Casiño filed House Bill No. 1483.

Both bills delineate the penalties and prohibitions for discrimination basis of sexual discrimination and gender identity against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Filipinos.

Patrick Joseph Ty, coordinator of the Tonette Lopez Project, said that both bills differ only on the penalties.

HB 1483 calls for a greater penalty. A person found guilty of any discriminatory practices shall be fined not less than P250,000 but not more than P500,000.

“It’s not on what people wear but it’s on how they behave,” Ty said. He said he is fighting against discrimination because he believes that people do not have the authority to malign other people.

Health Action Information Network program coordinator Noemi Bayoneta said that according to their research, transgender is still a strange concept to Cebuanos and transgenders are called “bayot”.

Discrimination is not reserved for gays, lesbian and transgenders alone but also to the HIV-positive.

According to UNDP country director Renaud Meyer, in the Philippines alone there are around six persons infected with HIV in a day so roughly 2,190 people are infected in a year.

Meyer said that HIV-positive individuals should be protected by the law, it might be difficult just to watch and see the rapidly increasing number of HIV positives yet it is time to understand them and give them support.

He said those with HIV are usually afraid to come out and ask for treatment and the passing of the bill will give them the courage to tell their stories and have the chance to be cured.

According to the Philippine HIV and Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome Registry, as of April 2011 there were 171 new HIV positive reported which is 11 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Of the 171 ninety-six percent of the cases are males. Sixty four percent of the cases are aged 20 to 29 and half of the total number are in the National Capital Region.

The number of HIV and AIDS-positive individuals registered with the Philippine HIV and Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome Registry all over the country since 1984 has been placed at 6,669.

Dr. Ilya Tac-an of the Cebu City Social Hygiene Clinic mentioned that as April of 2011, there are 29 persons in Cebu living with HIV and 11 of them are men having sex with men.

Cebu Plus is an organization that provides treatment, care and support to people living with HIV.

“You may not respect them as an HIV-positive but at least respect them as a human being,” said Cebu Plus Association Inc. President Jerson See.

UNDP said discriminatory acts against lesbian, gay, and transgenders in the Philippines are extensive yet these are often not reported or provided curative actions.

He said everyone should ask for respect because discrimination does not only happen to others, but can also happen to you.

The exhibit will also visit the cities of Manila and Davao where local ordinances criminalizing discrimination against lesbians, homosexuals, bisexuals and transgenders have already been filed.

The exhibit will be open to the public from June 6 to 10, 2011 at the social hall of the Cebu City Hall and from June 13 to 18, 2011 at the Alliance Francaise de Cebu at Quezon City Pavilion along Gorordo Ave. –(FREEMAN)