Anti-Discrimination Ordinances in the Philippines

by X. J. Bilon

On 26 January 2000, then-Akbayan Congresswoman Etta Rosales filed House Bill 09095—the first national anti-discrimination bill (ADB) proscribing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation (SO). Since then, newer versions which include gender identity and expression (GIE) in the protected classes have been filed in the succeeding Congresses, with various lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) organisations across the Philippines supporting and lobbying for the passage of a national law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of SOGIE.

Currently, although 19.8 million Filipinos (19.6%) reside in areas with anti-discrimination ordinances (ADOs), the absence of a national anti-discrimination law leaves more than 81 million Filipinos (80.4%) unprotected from SOGIE-based discrimination. Furthermore, existing ADOs only protect 2.3 million Filipinos living below the poverty threshold (8.3%), with 25.8 million (91.7%) vulnerable to discrimination in schools and workplaces, among many other spheres.

The map of areas in the Philippines with ADOs is shown below. Copies of ADOs and versions of ADB filed in the 17th Congress can be downloaded from the list below.

Infographics on Anti-Discrimination Ordinances in the Philippines

Feel free to download and use the map and infographics without modification for academic, advocacy, and reporting purposes. Not for commercial use.

High-resolution infographics accessible here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1bgeqTloFHoxhUQVsf2OWPIBZBfVqPz3Q

This is an interactive map of areas in the Philippines with anti-discrimination ordinances. Map may not display properly on your mobile browser; best viewed on desktop. Hover or tap on each area to see area details. Tabular form of area details are also accessible here.

4 Municipal Ordinances


3 Barangay Ordinances


6 Provincial Ordinances


National Anti-Discrimination Bills filed in the Congress


Please help us update our list and archive. Send us a message at xjbilon@up.edu.ph.

Acknowledgements

Interactive map developed by Xavier Javines Bilon and Rein Bulaong. Adapted from LGBT Policy Archives Project of Eric Manalastas,  Jean Encinas Franco, André Arnisson Ortega, and Aries Arugay. Charting library by Highsoft AS, based on data from Natural Earth. Special thanks to Atty Claire de Leon of Babaylanes, Inc., and Atty Jazz Tamayo of Rainbow Rights Philippines.


References

All statistics are obtained from Philippine Statistics Authority.

Complete data accessible here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vti5e2TSczc2EGTOVtr1zBUSC3f-9mYluEF1Xl1-rgM/edit?usp=sharing