Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No._____ 
________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by: REPRESENTATIVE EDWIN L. OLIVAREZ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which the 
Philippines is signatory to, is that “All human beings are born equal in dignity and 
rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one 
another in a spirit of brotherhood”. Simply put, everyone is born free, everyone is born 
with their own thoughts and ideas therefore, everyone should be treated the same. 
But why do our brothers and sisters from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender 
(LGBT) community continue to fight for equality? The answer is this, although 
equality is enshrined under international and domestic laws, members of the LGBT 
community do not completely enjoy this inherent right that they supposedly have. 
This Bill intends to contribute in the combat to put an end to discrimination 
and to uphold the equality that all humans, regardless of sexual orientation or gender 
identity, deserve. In order to achieve this, this bill defines discrimination, 
discriminatory practices and other related matters. Furthermore, this Bill provides 
for punishment for the commission of discriminatory acts. 
As a final note, the passage of this bill is intently desired in order to protect 
our LGBT community from any unjust treatment that they most definitely do not 
deserve. We are all different individuals but just as how God perfectly created each 
of us, we are all equal and must all be inclusive for we have but one same humanity 
and human dignity. A halt on discrimination must be achieved in order to uphold a 
society of openness and equality, a society that does not define you, but helps you 
define yourself. 
EDWIN L. OLIVAREZ 
February 1, 2023
2:39 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No._____ 
________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by: REPRESENTATIVE EDWIN L. OLIVAREZ 
AN ACT PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF 
SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY OR 
EXPRESSION (SOGIE) AND PROVIDING PENALTIES 
THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines on 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “SOGIE Equality 
Act”. 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State recognizes the fundamental 
right of every person, regardless of sex, age, class, status, ethnicity, color, disability, 
religious and political beliefs, sexual orientation or gender identity, to be free from 
any form of discrimination. It shall therefore intensify its efforts to fulfill its duties 
under international and domestic laws to respect, protect and fulfill the rights and 
dignity of every individual. 
Towards this end, the State shall exert efforts to address all forms of 
discrimination and violence on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity and 
to promote human dignity as enshrined in the United Nation Universal Declaration 
on Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination 
Against Women, particularly the General Recommendation No. 28 on Non-
Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, Convention on the 
Rights of the Child, International Covenant on the Civil and Political Rights, 
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and all other 
relevant and universally accepted human rights instruments and other international 
conventions to which the Philippines is a signatory of. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act, the following terms shall 
be defined as follows: 
a. “Discrimination” refers to any distinction, exclusion, restriction, or
preference which is based on any ground such as sex, sexual orientation,
gender identity, and which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing
the recognition, access to, enjoyment, or exercise by all persons on an equal
footing of all rights and freedoms. For purposes of this provision, the actual
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sex, sexual orientation or gender identity of the person subjected to 
discrimination shall not be relevant for the purpose of determining whether 
an act of discrimination has been committed. 
 
b. “Gender Identity” refers to the personal sense of identity as characterized, 
among others, by manner of clothing, inclinations, and behavior in relation to 
masculine or feminine conventions. A person may have a male or female 
identity with the physiological characteristic of the opposite sex. 
 
c. “Sexual Orientation” refers to the direction of emotional sexual attraction or 
conduct. This can be towards people of the same sex (homosexual orientation) 
or towards people of both sexes (bisexual orientation) or towards people of the 
opposite sex (heterosexual orientation). 
 
SEC. 4. Discriminatory Practices. – it shall be unlawful for any person, natural 
or juridical, to: 
(a) include sexual orientation or gender identity, as well as the disclosure of 
sexual orientation, in the criteria for hiring, promotion, transfer, designation, 
work assignment re-assignment, dismissal of workers, and other human 
resource movement and action, performance review and in the determination 
of employee compensation, career development intervention, incentives, 
privileges, benefits or allowances, and other terms and conditions of 
employment: Provided that, this provision shall apply to employment in both 
the private sector and public service, including military, police and other 
similar services: Provided, Further that this prohibition shall likewise apply to 
the contracting and engaging of the services of juridical persons; 
(b) refuse admission or expel a person from any educational or training 
institution on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity: Provided, 
However That the right of educational and training institutions to determine 
the academic qualification of their students or trainees shall be duly upheld; 
(c) impose disciplinary sanction, penalties harsher than customary or similar 
punishment, requirements, restrictions, or prohibition that infringe on the 
rights of the students on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, 
including discriminating against a student or trainee due to the sexual 
orientation or gender identity of the student’s parents or legal guardian; 
(d) refuse or revoke the accreditation, formal recognition, registration or plan to 
organize of any organization, group, political party, institution or 
establishment, in educational institution, workplaces, communities, and 
other settings, solely on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity of 
their members or of their target constituencies; 
(e) deny a person access to public or private medical and other health services 
open to the general public on the basis of such person’s sexual orientation or 
gender identity; 
(f) deny an application for or revoke a professional or other similar kind of 
license, clearance certification or any other similar document issued by the 
government due to the applicant’s sexual orientation or gender identity; 
(g) deny a person access to or the use of establishments, facilities, utilities or 
services, including housing, open to the general public on the basis of sexual 
orientation or gender identity: Provided, That the act giving inferior 
accommodations or services shall be considered a denial of access or use of 


such facility or service: Provided, That this prohibition covers acts of 
discrimination against juridical persons solely on the basis of the sexual 
orientation or gender identity of their members or of their target 
constituencies; 
(h) subjects or force any person to undertake any medical or psychological 
examination to determine and/or alter the person’s sexual orientation or 
gender identity without the expressed approval of the person involved, except 
in cases where the person involved is a minor and below the age of 
discernment in which case prior approval of the appropriate Family Court 
shall be required. In the latter case, the child shall be represented in the 
proceedings by the Solicitor General or the latter’s authorized representative; 
and 
(i) harassment by members of institutions involved in the enforcement of law and 
the protection of rights of any person on the basis sexual orientation or gender 
identity. Among other cases, harassment occurs when a person is arrested or 
otherwise placed in the custody and subjected to extortion, physical or verbal 
abuse, regardless of whether such arrest has legal or factual basis. 
Harassment of juridical persons on the basis of the sexual orientation or 
gender identity of their members, stockholders, benefactors, clients, or 
patrons is likewise covered by this provision. 
SEC. 5. Administrative Sanctions. – Willful refusal of a government official 
whose duty is to investigate, prosecute, or otherwise act on a complaint for a violation 
of this Act to perform such a duty without a valid ground shall constitute gross 
negligence on the part of the official. 
SEC. 6. Penalties. – Any person who commits any discriminatory practice 
described in section 4 shall, upon conviction, be penalized by a fine not less than 
One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000) but not more than Five hundred thousand 
pesos (P500,000) or imprisonment of not less than one (1) year but not more than 
six (6) years, at the discretion of the court. In addition, the court may impose upon 
a person found to have committed any of the prohibited acts the rendition of 
community service in terms of attendance in human rights education’s 
familiarization with and exposure to the plight of the victims. 
If a graver offense motivated by bias, prejudice, or hatred against sexual 
orientation or gender identity is committed, such shall be meted the corresponding 
maximum penalties depending on the severity of the offenses. 
Any action arising from the violation of the provisions of this Act shall prescribe 
in three (3) years. 
Nothing in this Act shall preclude the victim from instituting a separate and 
independent action for damages and other affirmative reliefs. 
The penalties provided under this Section shall be without prejudice to 
administrative liability for the government officials and employees. 
SEC. 7. Inclusion of SOGIE Concerns in All Police Stations. – The Women and 
Children’s Desks now existing in all police, shall also act on and attend to 
complaints/cases covered by this Act. In this regard, police handling said desk shall 
undergo appropriate trainings with human rights-based approach to include among 


other gender sensitivity and awareness in proper terminology, dynamics of lesbian, 
gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) relationships and hate crime investigations. 
Complainant-minors can be represented by parents, guardians or a non-
government organization of good standing and reputation. 
SEC. 8. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or otherwise invalid, the validity of the other provisions shall not be 
affected thereby. 
SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or 
parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 10. Effectivity – this Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,