Ladlad

Ladlad (English: "come out," lit. "The Unfurled") or the LGBT Party is a Filipino lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) political party. It was founded on September 21, 2003 by Danton Remoto.

The party's official motto is Bukas puso, bukas isip. (Open heart, open mind.)^[1]

Platform

The organization's thrust is toward human rights, and the organization is fighting for equal rights among all Filipinos, whether they are LGBT or not.

Controversies

The Commission on Elections denied Ladlad's petition to be allowed to run in the 2010 elections, on the grounds of "immorality",^[2] However, on January 12, 2010, the Supreme Court granted a temporary restraining order, thereby allowing Ladlad to participate in the 2010 elections.^[3] In the 2007 elections, Ladlad was previously disqualified for failing to prove they had nationwide membership.^[4]

On April 8, 2010, the Supreme Court formally allowed Ladlad to join the elections. The party received 113,187 votes or 0.37% (excluding votes from Lanao del Sur), below the optional 2% threshold and was not able to win a seat in Congress.

Due to the 2013 Elections, where Ladlad wasn't able to get a seat in Congress, the party under the same name is barred from the 2016 elections. The party can enter elections in 2019 instead.

Low Popularity Dilemma

The party's low popularity due to the country's opposing influential Catholic figures is seen as the major walls in Ladlad's congressional bid. In a foreign research study, 10% of the population can be accounted as part of the LGBT community, if generalized.

In usage of the generalization, 10% of the 50 million voting Filipinos can be accounted as part of the LGBT community, most of which are influenced by traditional Catholic teachings.

Modernization has lessened the percentage of Filipinos tracking traditional Catholic teachings and more LGBT Filipinos are coming out of the closet as noted by local surveys and as seen in the huge influx of LGBT Filipinos in nationwide Pride Marches, notably the Metro Manila Pride March, one of the biggest in Asia. ^[5]

Programs and platforms

Ladlad has the following platforms:^[1]

1. Re-filing of the Anti-Discrimination Bill that gives LGBT Filipinos equal opportunities in employment and equal treatment in schools, hospitals, restaurants, hotels, entertainment centers, and government offices.
2. Re-filing of the bill to repeal the Anti-Vagrancy Law that some unscrupulous policemen use to extort bribes from gay men without ID cards;
3. Setting up of micro-finance and livelihood projects for poor and handicapped LGBT Filipinos;
4. Setting up of centers for Golden Gays, or old and abandoned LGBTs, as well as young ones driven out of their homes. The centers will also offer legal aid and counseling, as well as information about LGBT issues, HIV-AIDS, and reproductive health. These centers will be set up initially in the key cities/metropolitan areas of the Philippines -- Baguio, National Capital Region, Cebu and Davao.

Same-sex marriage is not yet part of the party's platform.^[6]

Electoral performance

References