On 22 December 2023, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 51, Series of 2023, creating a special committee on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) affairs.
The EO aims to strengthen existing mechanisms that address the continued discrimination experienced by the members of the LGBTQIA+ community and give them an avenue to participate in policy formulation of the government despite the absence of an established body specifically dedicated to promoting their rights.
Malacañang said the President saw the need to "reinforce the Diversity and Inclusion Program and reconstitute its Inter-Agency Committee to ensure the country's continuous compliance with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights."
The DILG Secretary has described the EO as a bold and welcome move in that it recognizes the need to tackle and put the rights of all Filipinos in the proper light, regardless of gender and sexual orientation.
I see it as a necessary step towards ensuring that when the government formulates policy, it has a broad range of perspectives and experiences that reflect diverse opinions, backgrounds, and dispositions. This will ensure that the resulting policy covers as many possibilities as possible, and nothing will fall between the cracks.
Three different bodies have been created to implement the EO.
The first is the Special Committee on LGBTQIA+ Affairs, which shall have a Chairperson with the rank of Undersecretary and three members with the level of Assistant Secretary, who shall all be appointed by the President.
The second is the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, which shall be under the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Chaired by the Secretary of this department, it shall be co-chaired by the Secretaries of Migrant Workers and Labor and Employment. The Vice-Chair is the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, and its members are the Secretaries of Education, Justice, and Health, the Chairperson of Higher Education, and the Chairperson of the Special Committee on LGBTQIA+ Affairs.
The third is the Office of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee Secretariat established in the DSWD. The Secretariat shall provide administrative and technical support to the Committee in performing its functions.
While not all government departments have been included, the EO has adopted a whole-of-government approach. All agencies and instrumentalities of the National Government, including government-owned and -controlled corporations, are directed, and all local government units encouraged, to support the implementation of the Diversity and Inclusion Program.
The Diversity and Inclusion Committee shall, within sixty days from the effectivity of the EO, formulate guidelines for said EO's effective implementation. This will include the updating of the Diversity and Inclusion Program, the constitution of the Special Committee, and the creation of the Secretariat.
I look forward to the implementation of the EO. I firmly believe its effects will be immediate and far-reaching.
Diversity and inclusion will give the members of the LGBTQIA+ community a sense of belonging and a voice. It will help them feel their skills and abilities are valued. In the workplace, this can translate to a healthier work environment, increased productivity, and reduced absenteeism. In social circles, it may prevent bullying, harassment, and varied forms of discrimination, which may lead to mental and other serious problems.
Cheers to diversity and inclusion in government policy formulation!
