“Do you think gay marriage should be legalized in the Philippines? Why or why not?”

“Yes, but not now. Why yes? Because marriage is a right that allows couples many privileges and added security under the law, which they would otherwise not be capable of having without a recognized marriage license. No religious or ideological movement should infringe on that human right, as marriage is not a sacrament reserved to them and them alone. Legalizing LGBT marriage does not require them to wed the LGBT. But why not yet? Because our country is not educated enough to treat the law with understanding and grace; we need to teach people acceptance and respecting differences before we can be ready to legalize it.”

Hannah Nolasco

3 AB IS

“No. Not at this time. I think the Philippines is not yet ready, [yet] I can’t tell when it will be. It’s the kind of policy that, when you pass it now, can backfire. There’s no room to talk about it. Maybe in the future, when we’re more mature as a country.”

James Ly

Part-time lecturer, Quantitative Methods and Information Technology Department

“I believe gay marriage should be made legal in the Philippines because it is a way of eliminating state discrimination against the LGBT [community]. Legalizing gay marriage paves the way for the passage of benefits between same sex couples [such as PhilHealth and property]. The passage of gay marriage is a way for government to perform its role as an executor of deals made between two individuals. Gay marriage is a fundamental right and it is a reinforcement of the idea that human potential, morality, and rights are not determined by one’s sexuality but rather the willingness of a person to stand up move forward despite the hardships of life.”

Ivan A. Paredes

3 AB POS

“I am not much of an advocate for gay marriage, [as in] I do not see myself going out into the streets with placards for it [and in] the same way that I do not judge the Pope for not totally supporting it. But if it means giving equal access to privileges of married couple[s], then I am all for it. As in many cultural landscape-changing laws, the legalization of gay marriage cannot be treated as an independent event. It must accompanied by a strong emphasis on education on human sexuality from social, cultural, and even theological perspectives (both conservative and liberal perspectives). Pluralism of choice must always be fortified by a pluralism of knowledge so that these choices and formed convictions are informed ones and are a product of reflection and discernment.”

Miguel N. Lizada

Instructor, English Department

“I don’t see any compelling reason why gay marriage should not be legalized in the Philippines. So long as it does not aggravate other pressing social issues such as land reform, genuine peace, justice, poverty, environmental degradation, and access to quality healthcare and education, why not? And as long as the practice is a genuine expression of deep affection and compassion between two mutually consenting adults, why not? As long as the practice does not contribute to social inequality.”

Dino A. Concepcion

Lecturer, Sociology and Anthropology Department

“I think gay marriage should be legalized in the Philippines. Generally, I think Filipinos should remove the negative attitude towards other people’s sexual orientation because personally there is nothing wrong with it. If society still continues to ostracize gays, or even think that they are different or outcasts, it’ll be too restrictive for them. This hinders character development and formation, especially for adolescents. Legalizing gay marriage is one step to achieving open-mindedness.”

Izen S. Lao

3 BS HSc

“The legalization of same-sex marriage in the country will allow homosexual couples to enjoy the same civil right heterosexuals have. It would be a significant move to further promote gender equality in the country. However, though it would be beneficial for homosexuals, I think it would still take a very long time for the government and the Church to support this law together, especially that the Church still has a powerful voice in our society now. It may be legalized in the future but may not be completely tolerated by the Church and by some of its followers, especially by those who are still not open to this kind of relationship, since this kind of marriage cannot perform one of the institution’s important functions, that is, procreation.”

Kornellie L. Raquitico

Lecturer, English Department

“I know too many Filipinos that are friendly with gay people, [who] are even amused by their humor and warmth in life. But when given the chance to speak up on their thoughts about same-sex marriage, they would rather not. It’s just not an issue that concerns them as much, or their faith tells them it’s simply not right. A lot of people in our country can tolerate those we consider different— lesbians, gays, transgenders, and even Muslims. And a lot of people think that’s enough, that mere tolerance is okay. It’s not. Because in reality, we tolerate those we consider inferior. Tolerance means we simply endure it, and implies that there is an imbalance somewhere — with one of the sides withholding acceptance and support for the other. And before changes with our government can happen at all, changes within its people must happen first. What this country needs is to get rid of tolerance and replace it with mutual respect; Enough respect to be able to be who we want to be and love who we want to love without being shamed for it or thought of less. Because tolerance isn’t good enough. It never merely is.”

Ma. Diana Therese G. Calleja

2 AB COM

“I do believe the Philippines should consider legalizing equal marriage here. However, judging [by] the current status of our country, I think the Philippines isn’t ready for such a huge change. Every couple deserves the same benefits [such as] a formal union. But now, since the Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country, the church can’t seem to separate themselves from the state. People see it as a way of “ridiculing” the church (because a lot of Filipinos believe the church hates the homosexuals). Through mistakenly believing so, instead of homosexuals getting benefits, they get ostracized by the community. So for now, I highly encourage people to be more open minded and more aware of marriage benefits before directing their minds toward religion-related issues.

Gianne Philip M. Esguerra

2 BS MGT-H

“Gay marriage should be legalized in the Philippines because everyone has the inalienable right to choose who they want to be with. But with the task of legalizing gay marriage, [there will emerge] a few [obstacles to overcome]. Prejudice should be barred. Let the couples who want to be married enjoy the liberty of union without being judged by other people. Having proper context is very important to remove biases and judgement. With the respect given to individuals [about] their choices, the same respect should be given to institutions that still have their own beliefs to uphold.”

“The day after the news [of the legalization of gay marriage in the United States] came out, I made an informal survey in my two classes this Intersession. In one class, 24 said they were in favor, four were not and three had no position on the matter. In my other class of 35, everyone was for it. I thought [that] it says a lot about the current generation. If you ask for my opinion, I would say I am for it myself – a civil union for two adults irrespective of sex, gender and orientation. Will this land me in hot water (remember the RH Bill brouhaha)? I hope not. The Jesuits respect the opinions of professors, this being a university. We each have our private lives, opinions, beliefs and consciences.”

Marco A.V. Lopez

Professor, Filipino Department