Members of the LGBT community light candles as they take part in a rally in front of the Supreme Court in Manila on June 19, 2018. The Philippines' top court heard arguments on June 19 for the legalisation of gay marriage, a historic first in the overwhelmingly Catholic nation. / AFP PHOTO / TED ALJIBE “Equality, basically, is what we are fighting for.”

While the country is not yet ready on the idea of same sex marriage, the public mind is open for civil partnership, Bataan Representative Geraldine Roman, who is the country’s first transgender lawmaker, said.

“In my estimation, our country is not yet prepared for a same sex marriage bill. But if the talk turns to civil partnership bill Congress’ hearts and mind seems to open up,” Roman said in a television interview.

In Roman’s view, civil partnership is different from marriage, but when it comes to legal rights and protection as well as rights and obligation, the two are no different from each other.

“While civil partnership is not a sacrament and does not convey sanctifying grace or has the blessing of God – so to speak – it still carries the rights and obligations and protection that is a right of a person,” said Roman.

“Equality, basically, is what we are fighting for,” Roman added.

The lawmaker also pointed out that people still have the same rights and obligations under the law and calling it by any other name should not be a big deal to critics.

“If we got the same rights and obligations, but called it by another name, I mean, what’s the big deal?” Roman said. “Does gender identity have to do with the ability of a person to work?”

Roman said that what they are fighting for is that for LGBT to have the same legal rights as with those who are married.

This comes after the Supreme Court began its oral arguments on a petition that seeks to allow same-sex marriage in the Philippines which was filed in May 2015 by lawyer Jesus Nicardo Falcis III, who described himself in the pleading as “an open and self-identified homosexual.”

The historic case promises to open the legal discussion of a taboo in Asia’s bastion of Catholicism.