Majority of Filipinos buck same-sex unions
Survey shows, as thousands join Marikina ‘Pride March’
GAY pride month ended on Saturday with a dampener: a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showing majority of Filipinos remain opposed to same-sex marriage.
rainbow warriors Gays, lesbians and their supporters join Pride March held in Marikina City on Saturday to promote gender equality. Photo by DJ Diosina
The poll, conducted from March 23 to 27 among 1,200 adults nationwide, found that 61 percent of Filipinos disagreed with the proposed legalization of same-sex marriage in the country.
The English-language SWS press statement said respondents were asked to react to the statement: “There should be a law that will allow the civil union of two men or two women,” which it translated to Filipino as “Dapat magkaroon ng batas na magpapahintulot ng legal na pagsasama bilang mag-asawa ng dalawang lalaki o kaya’y dalawang babae.”
“Mag-asawa” translates to married couple in English.
SWS said it found disagreement across geographical areas and religions.
Results showed that 44 percent of all respondents “strongly disagree,” while 17 percent “somewhat disagree” with same-sex marriage.
Twenty-two percent said they would support the legalization of same-sex marriage, while 16 percent said they were still “undecided” about it.
“This gives a net agreement score (percent agree minus percent disagree, correctly rounded) of -40, classified by SWS as very weak,” SWS said.
By religion, SWS said net agreement was lowest among Iglesia ni Cristo members at an “extremely weak” -64 (11 percent agree, 74 percent disagree, correctly rounded).
This was followed by members of other Christian denominations at an extremely weak -55 (15 percent agree, 70 percent disagree), Muslims at a “very weak” -48 (12 percent agree, 60 percent disagree), and Roman Catholics at a very weak -36 (24 percent agree, 60 percent disagree).
Visayans staunchly opposed
By area, Visayas recorded the lowest net agreement score at a very weak ‑45 (21 percent agree, 66 percent disagree).
It was followed by Balance Luzon at a very weak -42 (20 percent agree, 63 percent disagree, correctly rounded), Mindanao at a very weak -38 (21 percent agree, 58 percent disagree, correctly rounded), and Metro Manila at a moderately weak -27 (29 percent agree, 56 percent disagree).
The same survey showed that opposition to same-sex marriage was strongest among single men who were widowed, separated or divorced, with an extremely weak net agreement score of -70 (7 percent agree, 77 percent disagree).
Also, net agreement was very weak among married men, at -49 (18 agree, 67 percent disagree); married women, at -45 (20 percent agree, 65 percent disagree); single women who are widowed, separated or divorced, at -37 (22 percent agree, 59 percent disagree); and single women who never married, at -30 (21 percent agree, 51 percent disagree).
Net agreement was moderately weak among women with live-in partners, at ‑27 (31 percent agree, 58 percent disagree); men with live-in partners, at -25 (33 percent agree, 58 percent disagree); and single men who never married, at -18 (28 percent agree, 46 percent disagree), the survey showed.
The survey had sampling error margins of ±3 percent for national percentages and ±6 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon (Luzon except Metro Manila), the Visayas, and Mindanao.
The poll came shortly after the Supreme Court concluded oral arguments on a petition seeking to allow same-sex marriage in the Philippines.
The petition was filed in May 2015 by lawyer Jesus Nicardo Falcis 3rd, who described himself in the pleading as “an open and self-identified homosexual.”
His plea sought to declare as unconstitutional portions of the Family Code of the Philippines that “define and limit marriage as between man and woman.”
Solicitor General Jose Calida opposed the petition and argued that the 1987 Constitution only allows marriage between a man and a woman.
The oral arguments on legalizing same-sex marriage mark a historic first in the Philippines, opening the legal discussion of a taboo in Asia’s bastion of Catholicism.
Senators opposed
Senators on Saturday said any measure allowing same-sex unions would face an “uphill battle” in the Senate.
Senators Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said they would be “sensitive” to the opinion of the public.
But opposition Sen. Francis Pangilinan is open to the idea of allowing civil unions, as distinguished from same-sex marriage.
“I want civil union to be acknowledged because there is really such kind of relationship. Does this deal with property ownership only?” he said.
Pangilinan added: “Under the 1987 Constitution you cannot call it (same-sex union) a marriage because our laws have specified what constitutes a family.”
Ejercito said: “I would say it will be an uphill battle. Or better, it will be quite a challenge to have it passed.”
Zubiri agreed. “I believe same-sex marriage will have a very difficult time in the Senate as I personally asked several of my colleagues about it in the past and almost all of them have signified their opposition to it,” he said in a text message.
“I personally have serious reservations on it and I’m inclined not to vote for it for personal and religious beliefs. In other words, dadaan pa siya sa butas ng karayom sa Senado (It will go through the eye of the needle in the Senate),” he added.
Angara said senators were quite sensitive to public opinion.
“I also expect some senators who are members or close to some religious groups to not be in favor of this. Thus, I foresee a lot of vigorous debates on the bill going forward,” he said in a text message.
Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel said: “It must be explained fully. What are the objectives of that proposal?”
Pride March
In Marikina City, more than 10,000 people joined the Pride March, an annual event held in different parts of the country to promote gender equality and to protest gender discrimination.
With this year’s theme “Rise Up Together,” members of the “LGBTQIA+” community and their supporters converged before noon at the Marikina Sports Complex and then took to the streets.
LGBTQIA+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual or allied.
“We are rising up against discrimination,” Regie Pasion, the group’s coordinator for Marikina, said in a phone interview.
The first Pride March was held in 1994, Pasion said. “Before it was held in other parts of Metro Manila,” he said.
The local government of Marikina was very supportive of the LGBT community and was willing to host the march again next year, he said.
“The LGBT is holding a Pride March not just for fun…actually this is a protest march against discrimination. The Pride March is not just a [street]dance and a parade of gays in their colorful costumes, this is a protest because of the discrimination the LGBT community feel,” Pasion explained.
“In this event, gays have the freedom to freely express themselves of who they are, and what are their true inner selves,” he added.
A keynote speaker said Congress was blind to incidents of discrimination and slammed Senate President Vicente Sotto 3rd for opposing gay marriage.
‘God hates sin’
Protesters gathered outside the sports complex and carried placards saying “God Hates Sin” and “Jesus Said Go And Sin No More,” and wore shirts printed with slogans such as “It’s Not Okay To Be Gay!” and “NO-MO, HOMO!”
“Tayo ay nilikha ng Diyos na lalaki at babae, walang sinabing bakla, walang sinabing tomboy (We were created man and woman by God, not gay or lesbian)!” said protester Alvin Reyes.
Abby Orbeta, one of the Pride March organizers, said different organizations joining the march were told not to engage protesters.
“We always remind our marchers and our participants, and marshals, never to engage with any of the protesters;
the police will be marching along with us, monitoring us, to prevent fights,” she said.
Rowena Cos, an LGBTQIA+ supporter, stood beside a protester, while holding a placard saying “Free Hugs.”
“Apart from the fact that I’m celebrating with you guys…We’re also trying to take a stand against these people in a nonviolent way,” she said.
WITH REPORTS FROM BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO AND NEIL A. ALCOBER, AND MARK
ARROJADO, MARY JANE REYLA AND SAMANTHA TIO (TMTC INTERNS)
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