ILOILO City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) has approved an ordinance that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, race, color, national or ethnic origin, and religious affiliation or belief.
Authored by Councilor Leizl Joy Zulueta-Salazar, the Anti-Discrimination Ordinance of Iloilo City is anchored on the 1987 Philippine Constitution provisions that promote social justice in all phases of national development and the United States’ Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits discrimination in employment on the bases of race, color, sex, or ethnic origin.
“There is a need for Ilonggos to recognize the different aspects and contexts in which discrimination operate – in the workplace, in education, through the provision of goods and services, in living accommodations and the like,” said Zulueta-Salazar.
Under the ordinance, the following acts are considered discriminatory when committed on the bases of sexual orientation, race, color, descent, national affiliation or beliefs, among others:
* refusing employment to a job applicant or imposing onerous or additional terms or conditions which are not imposed on another similarly situated
* refusing or failing to accept any person for admission as a student in any public or private educational and/or vocational institution, or by subjecting said student to terms and conditions
* refusing to provide goods and services and/or imposing onerous terms or conditions as requisites
* refusing or falling to allow any person to avail of quarters or accommodation
* subjecting – either by verbal or written word or publication – to ridicule or insult or attribute despicable behavior and habits or associating with violence and criminal activities, any person or group of persons
* refusing entry into restaurants, bars, stores, movie houses, malls and other places of entertainment and businesses which are open to the general public, or refusing or failing to attend to or serve the orders for food, drinks, beverages and other goods, or excluding or limiting the access to any facility provided by such establishment
* doing any other analogous acts which demean the dignity and self-respect of a person or impairs, mars, reduces or nullifies the recognition, enjoyment or exercise of his human and legal rights and basic freedoms in the political, labor, economic, social cultural and educational spheres
The City Legal Office is tasked to promulgate the Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR) of the new ordinance within 60 days from approval.
Except for violations of the Labor Code of the Philippines involving the rights of women workers and employees which shall be punishable under the said Code, and for violations under Republic Act 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act) involving rights of children of indigenous communities which are punishable under the said Act, the following penalties for violations of any provisions of the ordinance are imposed:
* admonition and a fine P1,000 for the first offense
* P2,000 for the second conviction
* P5,000 and imprisonment of 15 days for the third conviction or any two previous convictions./PN
