CEBU, Philippines - Six Cebu City councilors will be sponsoring an ordinance condemning and banning acts of discrimination against any person on the basis of disability, age, health status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity and religion.
Councilors Alvin Dizon, Margarita Osmeña, Nida Cabrera, Lea Japson, John Philip Po III and Augustus “Jun” Pe will be sponsoring the Cebu City Anti-Discrimination Ordinance that identifies the acts of discrimination against persons that is penalized with a fine not less than P1,000 but not exceeding P5,000 or an imprisonment of not less than 60 days but not more than a year at the discretion of the court.
Under the ordinance, the acts deny any person from access to public services and to include the disability, age, health status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity and religion in the criteria for hiring and promotion and dismissal of workers.
Disability, age, health status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity and religion must not be also used to determine the employee’s compensation, incentives, privileges, benefits or allowances and other terms and conditions of employment nor it must used to refuse admission or to expel a person from educational institutions.
The proposed ordinance also asserts the right of every person to medical and health services. It also seeks to protect any person from denial of access to and use of private and public establishments, facilities, utilities, transportation or services regardless of their disability, age, health status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity and religion.
The proposed ordinance clearly states that denial is manifested when a person is given inferior accommodations or services, when there is rejection of any application and when the entry and participation is based on disability, age, health status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity and religion.
The act of subjecting or forcing any person to any medical or psychological examination without the expressed approval of the person involved on the basis of perceived disability, health status, sexual orientation, gender identity and ethnicity is also prohibited.