St. Scholastica’s College former President Sister Mary John Mananzan expressed her support to the SOGIE equality bill because she believes that everyone deserved to be respected even if they’re a member of the LGBTQIA+ community.

During the Senate hearing in SOGIE bill, Sister Mananzan, a catholic nun urged the lawmakers to pass the bill immediately to penalize people who would show bad behavior towards the LGBQIA+ members.

She believes that the law would not give any advantage to the LGBTQIA+ members than straight people.

“I don’t see the SOGIE bill giving any special right to the LGBT community. We are just saying that the rights of everybody should also be applied to them,” she said.

Mananzan also said that religious people like her already learned how to respect the decision of an individual.

“As a religious woman, I believe in the respect, compassion, and reverence for all persons because they were all created in the image and likeness of God,” she explained.

The nun didn’t tell if St. Scholastica College, a school exclusively for a female would accept transgender women in the future.

Other religious leaders also expressed their support to the said bill.

Aglipayan Church member Koko Alviar, who admitted that he’s an openly gay man said that he believes in the intention of SOGIE bill to end inequality in the country.

“We believe God wants us to exist in a community of love,” said Alviar.

“‘Love the sinner,’ we are told by our anti-SOGIE Christian siblings, but how do you say you love the sinner when you are refusing them secular, universal rights to jobs, education, and healthcare based on their dissonance from your expectations?” he added.

SOGIE bill became a topic after Gretchen Diez, a trans woman was stopped from using a restroom designated for female in Quezon City.

President Rodrigo Duterte gave a 15-day deadline to all convicts released because of the controversial good conduct time allowance (GCTA) law to surrender because they’re now considered as a ‘fugitive’.

According to data, there are around 1,700 – 2,000 convicts were freed because of the GCTA which currently being investigated because some lawbreakers are allegedly bribing several Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officials to take advantage of the said law.

“I will address myself sa lahat ng nakulong at na release sa batas na ito… 1700 of you, you surrender and have yourself registered to the BuCor… I will give you 15 days of liberty provided to make yourself available anytime that you will be called for an investigation, to have a recomputation,” Duterte said.

“If you do not, then beginning at this hour, you are a fugitive from justice. You will be treated as a lawbreaker. Things can go wrong if I were you, mag-surrender na kayo to the nearest police or military detachment wherever you are now,” he added.

President Duterte said that there’s no need for a warrant to bring back the convicts to the custody of the BuCor and he would order the authorities to search for every convict who didn’t surrender within the 15-day period given by the government.

He said that he would take full responsibility if his order is not allowed in the constitution.

Duterte also ordered a bounty of P1-M for every convict who would refuse surrender.

“I am ready to be investigated, I’m ready for impeachment and ready to resign,” Duterte said.

The President also cited a law where a newly-freed convict could be brought back to detention if the authorities found that the decision to give him liberty was wrong.

“You have to serve your sentence fully as the order is null and void,” he said.

President Rodrigo Duterte announced that he’s demanding for the resignation of Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Nicanor Faeldon amid the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law mess.

In a press conference, Duterte said that he wanted Faeldon to resign immediately after the latter became allegedly involved in freeing several high profile convicts in the national penitentiary.

Lawmakers also found that Faeldon signed the release order of former Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez who’s facing 7 life sentences.

“Faeldon has to go because Faeldon disobeyed my order,” President Duterte said.

According to President Duterte, Faeldon didn’t follow him even if he already told BuCor and Department of Justice not to free any high profile convicts without any order from “higher authority.”

“With Faeldon out, I am ordering all that have had the opportunity to be in that committee, all of them in the BuCor, to report to me and to the secretary of justice. In the meantime, I will not suspend them but they will be investigated. This goes straight to the Ombudsman. There was an admission they were remiss in their duties,” said Duterte.

The statements of the President contradicted presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo who said that Duterte is not going to fire Faeldon until the congressional hearings are concluded.

Faeldon also became controversial during his term as the Bureau of Customs (BOC) chief.

According to some critics, there are over 2,000 convicts freed because of “good behavior” under GCTA law since it was signed in 2013 during the Aquino administration.

However, the discussion about GCTA only became a hot topic because of the rumors about Sanchez’ possible release.

Senator Cynthia Villar said that it’s already too much for the farmers to ask for a 21 pesos per kilo of Palay.

During the Senate Hearing on Rice Tariffication Act Tuesday, Villar explained that the regular price of palay is 17 pesos per kilo and it only increased last year because of the bad weather.

Villar said that if the regular price of palay reached more than 17 pesos, it means that the country is not in a normal condition.

“The only time it was ₱21 was last year, wherein we were in a difficult period na nagmahal lahat ang rice, tapos kaya yung NFA, in-increase nila yung regular buying price nila from 17-20 to be able to compete with the traders,” Villar said.

According to Villar, a farmer needs a 12 pesos investment per kilo to plant and grow a palay and sell it to a regular price of 17 pesos per kilo.

“Kumikita na sila ng five pesos per kilo, I think 17 is really the regular of the regular price, it’s too much to ask na maging 21, 20,” she said.

Villar who also headed the senate committee on agriculture and food said that if the news reports that the price of palay in some provinces already reached 7-8 pesos per kilo.

Farmers blamed the rice tariffication act for the cheapening price of palay because the said law removed the limit of import rice to the country.

“Pwede ba pakisabi ninyo sa amin kung nasaan yung 8 at 7 pesos [per kilo] para kami na po ang bibili,” she said.

She also believed that palay prices became cheaper because of natural calamities.

Several weeks ago, netizens was saddened by circulating news on social media claiming that the rice of palay in several provinces, including Nueva Ecija already reached 8-7 pesos per kilo.

A representative from a farmer organization also claimed that in Arayat Pampanga, the palay already reached 6 pesos per kilo.

Because of the cheapening price of palay, several farmers had no choice but to enter a loan agreement.

A security guard of an establishment was spotted clashing with a group of trans women at Almanza, Las Pinas on September 1, 2019, because of an argument over the use of the female restroom.

In a video posted by netizen Macky Padilla Onrubia, it showed the security guard having an argument with a group of trans women who wanted to use the female restroom in an establishment.

According to the uploader, the security guard tried to stop the trans people from using the restroom designated for female which resulted in the commotion.

One trans woman can be heard shouting at the security guard who’s telling them not to use the comfort room because it only designated for the female gender.

“Sa susunod ayusin mo ang salita mo ha, bakit mo kami pagbabawalan mag CR ha?” the group told the guard.

“Public toilet pagbabawalan mo kami?” they added.

However, the security guard insisted that the group should use the comfort room designated for male.

The security guard and the trans women were only stopped by the other staff of the establishment.

It’s not yet known if the group is going to file a complaint against the security guard.

The incident can be compared to what happened to trans woman Gretchen Diez several weeks ago at Farmers Plaza where she was stopped by a janitress to use the comfort room for females.

Diez’ sparked the topic over the rights of the LGBTQA+ community to use any comfort room they wanted and it also prompted the politicians to discuss the SOGIE bill.

Mayor Isko Moreno started his week by rescuing children who are staying around the streets of Manila City during late hours.

In his latest night roaming, Moreno who was supposed to go home and rest received a report from a concerned citizen about a commotion involving two groups of children happening around Delpan Street.

However, when Moreno arrived at the exact place, the two groups already left the area.

Instead of ending his night roaming, Moreno decided to continue traveling around Manila to tell the minors to go home and sleep.

During his roaming, Moreno rescued many children who are using a solvent in public place; one minor was even spotted consuming the substance near a police outpost.

The said night roaming became one of the most action-packed videos posted by Moreno because he even personally chased the minors to rescue.

“Nagsosolvent ka? Loko kang bata ka,” Moreno said.

He ordered all the rescued children to transport to Manila City Hall and then transfer them in the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

After seeing that there are many children still roaming the streets of Manila even at late hours, he also decided to impose a curfew for minors.

Moreno also expressed disappointment over Barangay Chairmans and Police officers that not trying to rescue the minors.

“Ano ba namang mga barangay chairman to, asan yung mga barangay chairman? Hindi na ako magtataka na dapat talaga kayong kasuhan ni (DILG Sec) Año,” said Moreno.

He also asked his followers why there’s so many minors are now using solvent and not staying at home during late hours.

“Bat nagkaganito ang mga bata ngayon? Sino ba ang nagkulang? Ang Gobyerno, pamahalaan o pagkukulang din ng mga magulang?” Moreno said.

“Noong araw, alas sais ng gabi tiklop na ang telon, uwi na,” he added.

As of writing, the video already reached 1.8-M views on Facebook.

Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza said that he would help janitress Chayra Ganal to find a new job after she reportedly lost her post after stopping trans woman Gretchen Diez from using a comfort room designated for females.

In a post, Atienza praised Ganal for using her “common sense” from stopping the trans woman from using the women’s restroom which sparked the debate on the rights of the LGBTQA+ people.

“I’d like to offer you a job. Binabati kita dahil ginamit mo ang iyong common sense at iniisip kung ano ang mas nakabubuti para sa lahat. Pakinggan natin ang panig ni Ms. Ganal, may mga babaeng lumapit sa kanya sa CR at nagsabing hindi sila komportable sa sitwasyon,” said Atienza.

He believes that the LGBTQA+ community is already trying to dominate the other genders by asking the people to adjust for them.

“Ginigiit ng isang grupo na bagamat may bilang sila yung pinaglalaban nila para bagang baguhin natin ang pag-uugali, ang takbo ng buhay sa Pilipinas, na tanggapin natin at i-adjust natin ang lahat doon sa kanilang mungkahi at personal na kagustuhan. I’m talking about the LGBT community,” he said.

In another interview, Atienza said that he would defend the LGBTQA+ community, however, their demands should not affect the rights of the other people.

“I will defend the rights of anyone who belong to the LGBTQ+ community BUT DO NOT IMPOSE on the other party, do not impose on the household even, do not impose on your community, definitely do not impose your own thinking sa ating bansa by making a law,” Atienza said.

Aside from Atienza, CIBAC party-list Representative and Jesus is Lord (JIL) founder Eddie Villanueva showed his support to Ganal, saying that the people should also hear the side of the janitress.

Bataan 1st District Representative Geraldine Roman said that females should share the women’s bathroom with the transgender people or just ignore them if they feel uncomfortable sharing their space.

In a press conference, Roman who’s the first transgender women elected to the Congress of the Philippines said that women should also respect the rights of the other genders who only wanted to use the female restroom.

Roman also pointed out that there’s no valid reason for any woman to be uncomfortable sharing their restroom with some transgender.

She even pointed out that transgenders using the female restroom in the Congress building is already normal.

“Pumasok nalang sila sa cubicle and do their thing, wag nilang kausapin,” Roman said.

“Ano ngayon kung transgender? There’s no valid reason… if you have a problem… magtiis ka, pero h’wag mong ipagkait sa kapwa tao mo yung karapatan niyang pumunta sa banyo,” she added.

The transgender lawmaker said that incidents like what happened to trans woman Gretchen Diez might be prevented if the Congress just passed the SOGIE bill last year.

Roman urged President Rodrigo Duterte to certify SOGIE bill as urgent so it would be prioritized by the lawmakers.

She believed that it’s already the right time for the government to give equal rights to the LGBTQA+ community to prevent another inequality incident again.

Roman is one of the first lawmakers who expressed support to trans woman Gretchen Diez after a janitress stopped her from using women’s restroom.

However, it seems that the SOGIE bill would receive opposition from several lawmakers including Senate President Tito Sotto.

“If you are infringing on the rights of others, particularly the women, then you have no right to do it,” Sotto said.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III revealed that a transgender person was plotting to replicate what happened to Gretchen Diez several days ago at Farmers Plaza in Cubao, Quezon City.

In an interview with the reporters, Sotto said that he heard a report of a transgender person standing by in one of the restrooms located at the Senate building and seems to wait for something to happen.

Sotto speculated that the said transgender was only waiting for someone to let him out of the restroom so she could make a scene like what happened to Diez.

“Meron daw transgender kanina diyan na iista-istambay lang dun, nakaupo lang daw dun, ewan ko parang nag-iintay na magkaroon ng issue na paalisin siya or something; eh meron namang bi-gender toilet dito sa 2nd floor kasama nun sa PWD na toilet dito,” Sotto said.

“Aba eh ano ginagawa mo dun? Di ba naghahanap ka lang ng gulo. But I already told the Sergeant-at-Arms to get rid of him,” he added.

According to Sotto, there’s also some incident that members of the LGBTQA+ community are trying to strike fear among straight people by telling them that they’re going to make a live video featuring them.

Sotto believes that they should not forget that straight person, especially women have the most right to use the female restroom

“Doon pa lang kita mo, wala pa ito (SOGIE bill), ina-abuso na. So that’s another problem,” he said.

“This is now an issue on women’s rights because I feel that a woman’s body is a temple and to her, the toilet is sacred. It’s where she has the weakest point,” he added.

He also had advice for the transgender people.

“Kung may sandata ka ng lalaki, doon ka pumunta sa comfort room na panglalaki. Kitang-kita ngayon pa lang eh,” he said.

The debate about SOGIE bill sparked after trans woman Gretchen Diez was stopped by a janitress to use the women restroom after they received a complaint from two females being uncomfortable with the former’s presence.