LGBT rights in the Philippines

LGBT rights in the Philippines
Philippines
Status	Legal
Gender identity	Transgender people are not allowed to change legal gender
Military	Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people allowed to serve openly since 2009; Some restrictions on gender expression based on legal gender (ie. uniform)
Discrimination protections	None at the national level, but many anti-discrimination ordinances exist at the local government level in some parts of the country
Family rights
Recognition of relationships	None; same-sex civil union bills pending[1][2]
Restrictions	No constitutional prohibition but the Family Code of the Philippines defined marriage as "a permanent special contract union between a man and a woman".[3]
Adoption	Single individuals are allowed regardless of sexual orientation, but not for same-sex couples. Single LGBT adopters may sometimes be refused to adopt as unfit under "good moral character" criteria.[4]

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Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals in the Republic of the Philippines have faced many various forms of difficulties, challenges and hardships throughout their entire lives in their native homeland in Southeast Asia, such as displays of discrimination, prejudice, bigotry, hostility, violence, hatred, abuse, assault, harassment and other forms of anti-LGBT rhetoric. Many LGBT Filipinos are met with mixed attitudes and reactions by their own families, friends and others in their communities, as well as professionals, educators, counselors and principals in their curriculums, their national public officials, politicians, lawmakers, lawyers, attorneys and others working for in the government and the rest of the general population in their society as a whole.

Many local individuals, groups and communities in the Philippines have willingly helped and assisted LGBT Filipinos in need offering and treating them with various different forms of LGBT-friendly counseling services and therapy sessions in many organized institutions to help them escape many certainly dangerous and hostile environments, backgrounds, places or areas based on homophobia, biphobia and transphobia they have experienced and help them recover from those they have endured in their lifetime with a provided shelter with food, drinks, medicine and other needs as possible.

Filipino LGBT individuals and groups alongside their communities and LGBT allies have worked and to promote and encourage social and political justice on a nationwide level. They have engaged in various forms of social activities of activism and advocacy based on human rights to pass pro-LGBT administrative lawful legislations on a full nationwide scale within the country to achieve and receive their legal rights. LGBT Filipinos also have a higher rate of either developing suicidal ideation or attempting suicide.^[5][6]

Many nationwide equality bills for LGBT rights in the Philippines have been proposed since the 2000s, including the anti-discriminatory Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill.^[7] Despite failing to pass in the national government, many anti-discrimination ordinances on sexual orientation and gender identity exist in either a province, city, municipality or other locality within the National Capital Region (Metro Manila) in the Philippines, including the country's national capital city, Manila.^[8]

Meanwhile, an anti-bullying law exists, which includes sexual orientation and gender identity as some of its prohibited grounds.^[9]

In 2022, two civil union bills have been refiled and proposed by certain groups of public officials, politicians, lawmakers, lawyers, attorneys and others in the Philippine Congress which seeks to recognize, provide benefits and protection for same-sex couples in the Philippines.^[10][11]

As a member of the United Nations, the Philippines is being encouraged by various signatory international covenants to promote all forms of internationally-based universal and fundamental human rights which includes promoting LGBT rights.^[12]

Alongside these developments, LGBT movements in the Philippines have been very active and gained some political representation.^[13][14]