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2007-08 Also see: 1 Personal Essay: Never too late 4/07 2 New Zealand AIDS foundation’s new safe sex campaign targets asian gay men 5/07 3 Ramon Magsaysay Award recipients announced 8/07 4 Rustom Padilla’s gay redemption: Urian award 9/07 5 SC junks transsexual’s plea for gender, name change 10/07 6 Being gay not a sin, acting on gay desires is--bishop 5/08
April 28, 2007 1 by Wilfredo "Pidot" Villocino My decision to pursue and finish my college degree late in my life is something that I owe to myself – for my personal fulfillment and liberation. I have grown weary of working hard for long hours in order for my other siblings, including nieces and nephews, to finish their formal education, yet I have not been able to do the same for myself. As I urge them to study hard and finish school, I constantly feel pangs of guilt for not being a good example to them. I have also started to doubt my own personal worth and to wonder if all my rationalizations for not finishing school may just be borne out of fear that I may not have what it takes to do this. Thus, I had to do it to prove that I can, even at mid-life. As I took on a more public role as the spokesperson of PROGAY-Mindanao, I realized that I would serve the gay community better if I attained my college degree. And doing so at mid-life may also serve as an inspiration to others who had to sacrifice schooling to become the breadwinners in their families. It would send the message that it is never too late to go back to school and accomplish something meaningful. In my work now as a Coordinator of the newly-created Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender (LGBT) Desk under the City Mayor’s Integrated Gender and Development Division, my college degree would not only be desired, it is necessary. A landmark innovation in local governance in the Philippines, the LGBT Desk in the Davao City government will have a better chance at being institutionalized if I am a permanent employee occupying a plantilla position. It will support Affirmative Action and enable gays like me to be mainstreamed in the civil service and become catalysts in promoting gender equality in local governance. I have already passed the Civil Service Professional Examination and possess the minimum requirements for a plantilla appointment, except for the required college degree. I am given this rare opportunity to become a catalyst in mainstreaming gender issues not just in the City of Davao, but in the entire Philippines. It is because Davao City is the first, and so far, the only local government unit in the country today that has a clear policy and program that integrates LGBT issues and concerns in its development framework. It is a recognized trailblazer, and its best practices are being replicated in other areas, and studied and emulated even by other countries. Acquiring my College Degree would therefore be a crucial step in sustaining this development. (Wilfredo “Pidot” Villocino wrote this piece in 2005 when he enrolled to complete his Mass Communication course at the Ateneo de Davao University under the Enhanced Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP). Villocino graduated on his birthday last year and is now pursuing his Masters of Science in Development Admnistration at the University of Southern Philippines).
May 9, 2007 2 “Be proud and strong - Renew your commitment to safe sex, no exceptions,” reads a campaign poster featuring five out and proud gay Asian men from Singapore, the Philipines, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Tahiti. The New Zealand AIDS Foundation’s Gay Men’s Health team is to launch its first resource aimed at raising HIV awareness among Asian gay and bisexual men on Friday May 11 in Auckland. The resource comprises a poster, featuring five out and proud gay Asian men - including Gay Men’s Health Promoter Valeriano (Val) Incapas - with the heading “Be proud and strong - Renew your commitment to safe sex, no exceptions.” http://www.fridae.com/newsfeatures/images/NZAFasianposter.pdf “Gay men make up a significant part of the growing Asian migrant population, as many Asian countries are very vocal in condemning homosexuality,” Incapas says. “Gay men in Asian countries often are forced to move where they feel they can live and express themselves more freely, countries like New Zealand.” Asian gay men are also part of the wider community of men who have sex with men, who are the highest risk group for HIV infection in New Zealand. 70 new gay and bisexual diagnoses were recorded in 2006 - one every five days. “Up until now, there has been a lack of visible role models for Asian gay and bisexual men to encourage open discussion about the importance of condom use in preventing HIV,” Incapas says. “Without the skills of handling themselves in a community with different social rules, and often coming to New Zealand with no condom culture, Asian gay men can be vulnerable to being taken advantage of.” The poster features men from Singapore, the Philipines, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Tahiti. All the men are profiled on an accompanying flier, along with individual messages about why they value safe sex. “This is about standing proud and taking a leadership role in our own communities to help turn the HIV epidemic around,” Incapas says. “But HIV isn’t confined to one particular group or ethnicity - as gay and bisexual men, we are all susceptible because of the risk of transmission via anal sex. We must all renew our commitment to using a condom every time.” LAUNCH VENUE: Source: New Zealand Aids Foundation press release 3 by Carlos H. Conde "Working in different countries on diverse issues of poverty, prejudice, politics and the planet's future, these seven individuals nevertheless share an uncommon faith in the tremendous potential of people and social institutions," said Carmencita T. Abella, president of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, in a statement on Wednesday announcing the list of honorees. The Philippines's Jovito Salonga, a former senator, will receive the prize for government service. A staunch opponent of the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, Salonga defended victims of the regime and led efforts to recover its stolen wealth. The Reverend Kim Sun Tae, from South Korea, will be honored for public service. Orphaned by the Korean War and blinded when he was young, Kim struggled to become a Christian pastor and helped found the Siloam Eye Hospital in Seoul that provides eye services to poor Koreans. More than 20,000 people have received free eye surgery. Mahabir Pun, awardee for community leadership, used wireless technology for the benefit of poor villages in Nepal. After 20 years in the United States, Pun returned to Nepal to help establish schools and, later, with donations of computers and wireless-communications gadgets from all over the world, helped hook these schools and villages to the Internet. Tang Xiyang is recognized with the prize for peace and international understanding. He was known for his "Green Camps," which have helped publicize the degradation of China's environment. The camps, in which environmentalists and students are dispatched to areas in China where the environment is at risk, have helped influence government policy, according to the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation. Palagummi Sainath, a journalist from India, will receive the prize for journalism, literature and creative communication arts. The foundation said Sainath had written passionately about India's poor and the injustices they suffer. Today, "his journalism workshops occur directly in the villages, where he teaches young protégés to identify and write good stories and to be agents of change," the foundation said. The awardees for emergent leadership are China's Chen Guangcheng and Chung To. Chen, who is blind, led the filing of a class-action lawsuit in 2004 against officials in rural Shandong Province for, among other complaints, coercing women into having late-term abortions or sterilization. Chen publicized his case, eliciting a backlash from officials that later put him in jail, where he is serving a four-year sentence for "inciting a mob" of supporters. Chung was recognized for his work on behalf of people with HIV. Chung, who was born in Hong Kong but grew up in the United States, created the Chi Heng Foundation in 1998 to assist gay men in Hong Kong to protect themselves from the virus. He later extended his work to the Chinese mainland, where his AIDS Orphans Project pays for the education of children whose parents have died or are dying of AIDS.
September 15, 2007 4 by Gerry Plaza The moment was extra special, he said, because the trophy was presented to him by his brother, Robin Padilla, a previous winner of the same award for “La Visa Loca.” After announcing that Rustom had won in a tie with veteran actor Mark Gil -- who was cited for his portrayal of a disillusioned tabloid reporter in the independent film “Rotonda” -- Robin promptly approached his brother and hugged him. “I didn’t know that Robin would be the presenter,” Rustom said. “In fact, I didn’t know he was here. I can’t wait to see my family.” Rustom admitted that he had not spoken with his mother, former actress Eva Cariño, for quite a while. He had been skipping family reunions, he added, to avoid “confrontations.” Surprise party Rustom was visibly elated when a female reporter told him about Robin announcing that their family was planning a “surprise” to celebrate the victory. It is Rustom’s first-ever acting trophy. It is also Gil’s first Urian Best Actor award, although he has won for supporting roles in the past, including the acclaimed 1982 film, “Palipat-lipat, Papalit-palit.” Gil’s son, Sid Lucero, was also a nominee for Best Actor, as star of the independent film, “Donsol.” Other nominees in the category were Ryan Agoncillo for “Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo,” Alchris Galura for “Batad sa Paang Palay,” Mario Magallona for “Rekados” and Jett Pangan for “Tulad ng Dati.” The internationally acclaimed “Kubrador” took a total of five trophies: Best Picture, Best Actress for Gina Pareño, Best Director for Jeffrey Jeturian, Best Production Design for Leo Abaya and Best Cinematography for Roberto Yñiguez. Prestigious win Pareño’s win hardly came as a surprise -- she had won the same recognition in several international film festivals. However, Pareño told the Inquirer that this one, also her first Urian, was special. “This is prestigious. Kaya ako’y nagagalak na naipanalo ko ito kahit mas matanda pa ang career ko sa Urian.” [“I’m glad I got this, even though my career is older than the Urian.”] Other Best Actress nominees were Jonalyn Abong for “Manoro,” Cherry Pie Picache and Angel Aquino for “Kaleldo,” Andrea del Rosario and Mylene Dizon for “Rome and Juliet,” Judy Ann Santos for “Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo,” and Maricel Soriano for “Inang Yaya.” “A director’s dream” was how Best Director winner Jeffrey Jeturian described Pareño’s performance in “Kubrador” as a bet collector for the underground lottery “jueteng.” He told the Inquirer that “Kubrador’s” victory was also for all independent filmmakers. Indeed, several other independent films were recognized in this year’s awards: Best screenplay Chris Violago and Connie Macatuno won Best Screenplay for “Rome and Juliet,” a fresh take on the travails of lesbian relationships. John Torres bagged the Best Editing plum for “Todo Todo Teros,” an intriguing story of terrorism and global security as they affect ordinary people’s lives. Ronald de Asis took the Best Sound trophy for “Tulad ng Dati,” a peek into the rise of one of the country’s leading rock bands, The Dawn. The independent circuit likewise became the route for Rafael Rossell to reach his own career milestone. He won Best Supporting Actor for “Rome and Juliet,” over the likes of Soliman Cruz (“Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo”), Domingo Landicho (“Kubrador”), Alan Paule and Lauren Novero (“Kaleldo”), Epy Quizon (“Rotonda”), Ping Medina (“Tulad ng Dati”) and Archie Adamos (“Raket ni Nanay”). Meryll Soriano was proclaimed Best Supporting Actress for the film “Rotonda.” She wasn’t around to receive the award, as she had just given birth. Her uncle, Mel Martinez, went up the stage in her behalf. Soriano was up against Gloria Diaz and Gina Pareño (“Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo”), Pops Fernandez (“Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah Ze Moveeh”), Agot Isidro (“Tulad ng Dati”), Liza Lorena and Tala Santos (“Inang Yaya”) and Tessie Tomas (“Rome and Juliet”). This year’s Natatanging Gawad Urian Award was bestowed on Marichu Vera-Perez Maceda for her outstanding contributions to the local film industry.
October 22, 2007 5 by Tetch Torres Rommel had earlier secured the Manila Regional Trial Court’s (RTC) approval for a change of name and gender but the Office of the Solicitor General, which automatically participates in cases involving public policy, successfully appealed the lower court’s decision. The Court of Appeals, on February 23 last year, pointed out that the lower court's ruling lacked legal basis because no law allows the change of either name or sex on the grounds of sex reassignment. Agreeing with the Court of Appeals, the high court pointed out that under Republic Act 9048 or the Clerical Error Law, the grounds for a change of first name include (1) that the first name or nickname be ridiculous, tainted with dishonor or extremely difficult to write or pronounce; (2) the new first name or nickname has been habitually and continuously used by the petitioner and he has been publicly known by that first name or nickname in the community; and (3) the change will avoid confusion. Rommel underwent hormone treatment and breast augmentation in the United States and on January 27, 2001, had sex reassignment surgery in Bangkok, Thailand. Following this, he petitioned for the change of name and gender in his birth certificate to allow him to wed his American fiancé. RTC Judge Felixberto Olalia, ruling in Rommel’s favor, cited the principles of justice and equity, and said no harm could be done by granting the petition. But the high court said allowing Rommel’s appeal would affect the country’s marriage and family laws and part of the labor law. It added that it is basic in statutory construction to interpret words in their common meaning if the law does not give a specific definition. "Thus, the words 'male' and 'female' in everyday understanding do not include persons who have undergone sex reassignment...Since the statutory language of the Civil Register Law was enacted in the early 1900s and remains unchanged, it cannot be alterable through surgery or something that allows a post-operative male-to-female transsexual to be included in the category 'female'," the high court said. The high court added that various laws on women, like the provisions of the Labor Code and the presumption of survivorship, would be affected if Rommel's petition is granted. It also pointed that it not for the courts but the legislature to draw up the guidelines for the recognition of the effects of sex reassignment. "This court has no authority to fashion a law on that matter or anything else...If the legislature intends to confer on a person who has undergone sex reassignment the privilege to change his name and sex to conform with his reassigned sex, it has to enact legislation laying down the guidelines in turn governing the conferment of that privilege," the high court said.
May 11, 2008 6 "We try to be compassionate and understand homosexuals and guide them towards the right path where they should not act out on their desires," the bishop told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent company of INQUIRER.net. He explained that having feelings or an attraction for the same sex was not a sin but engaging in homosexual sex would be. CBCP Commission on Canon Law chair and Tagbilaran Bishop Leonardo Medroso agreed, saying there was nothing in Church law that specifically stated that being homosexual was sinful. "As far as the Church is concerned, sex can only be done within the context of marriage, and marriage, as we know, is between a man and a woman," he said. Medroso said the prohibition on pre-marital sex on heterosexuals was the same prohibition it imposed on gays. "Marriage and sex, as the Church views it, is solely for reproduction. That's the nature of marriage, opening up a couple to producing children. We cannot have that in a man to man or a woman to woman relationship, therefore, sex between persons of the same sex becomes unnatural and offends the Church," the bishop explained. Similarly, a priest who has homosexual tendencies or is gay is not immediately condemned. "As long as he does not break his vow of celibacy and is not an active homosexual," Medroso said, adding, "It is a crime, not only unnatural for a priest who has taken a vow to be celibate, because when he was ordained he promised not to engage in sex." While homosexuality is not in Church laws, the scriptures are explicit in stating that sexual relations between persons outside of marriage is forbidden, according to Oliveros. In the case of gay priests, Oliveros said the attraction they would feel for other men would not be a problem for as long as "they are not active in their attraction." |
