The local government unit of Quezon City acts to ensure that the LGBTQIA+ community feels accepted by educating the public and raising awareness of the issues faced by members of their gender spectrum.
Quezon City mayor Joy Belmonte said on Wednesday, June 28, that the Quezon City Gender-Fair Ordinance provides gender equality and gender sensitivity training to government offices, and to the private sector.
"Through education and information dissemination, sana mawala yung homophobia, yung transphobia, sana tratuhin sila ng pantay-pantay," Belmonte said during DILG sa DZRH Breaktime.
Belmonte further shared that the Quezon City government also seeks to ensure that all business establishments have 'inclusivity policies' to prevent gender discrimination in the workplace..
"Siyempre sayang yung mga talent ng ating LGBTQIA+ brothers and sisters if they feel unsafe in the workplace, if their talents are not harnessed to their fullest potential, and yung career growth nila ay hampered or constrained," the mayor stressed.
Belmonte also said that every barangay has a 'pride council' to craft policies to protect the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community.
"Habang hindi pa napapasa yung SOGIE equality bill sa Congress, patuloy tayong gagawa ng mga program sa ating lungsod para sa kapakanan nila at para maisulong natin ang kanilang mga karapatan," she added.
In celebration of Pride Month, Quezon City held a 'Pride Festival' on Saturday, June 24.
Belmonte explained that the Pride Festival serves as 'recognition' for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, a safe space for them to party, and a protest for the inequality that they suffer.
