December 07, 2011, Ladlad Party List Dumaguete and Negros Oriental coordinator Michael Victor was alarmed and dismayed when he informed me that the mural of the LGBT Guild of Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) and Ladlad was vandalized . The words "AIDS CARRIER" WAS SPECIFICALLY INSCRIBED IN THE LADLAD BUTTERFLY LOGO and "SOCIAL PESTS" were printed on the mural.
The mural of the LGBT Guild of NORSU and Ladlad logo were on display because the Dumaguete Pride March will be held this Friday, December 09, 2011 as their way of celebrating World Aids Day and International Human Rights Day. It is also a good time for Ladlad Dumaguete and Negros Oriental to participate and call on its citizens to have an open mind and an open heart.
However, in the recent spate of discriminatory remarks made in the Ladlad Logo and mural, we in Ladlad Party List strongly castigate and denounce the disparaging lines that clearly showed disrespect to the political party of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Filipinos and as well to the rights and sense of self-worth of LGBT individuals.
As the chairperson of Ladlad I can only attribute this doleful circumstance to the uncalled for statements of Department of Health (DOH) Sec. Enrique Ona in the recently concluded Philippine National AIDS Council plenary meeting, the DOH head unwittingly suggested that in order to address the rapid rise of HIV cases in the country, “parents should rein in their homosexual children and get them tested.”
The DOH Secretary irresponsibly elaborated further on how to solve the HIV crisis: “I was just given the information that, for example, the Partylist Ladlad has 67,000 members. Let’s just assume that there are 100,000 of them and get the ages, from say, 20-35 and ask all of them to have HIV/AIDS test. Wouldn’t that be a practical solution too?”
That is why I was disturbed when I learned that Sec. Ona reinforced the stigma, stereotype and discrimination that tilts against our ranks. His statements may have unwittingly caused more harm than any good to the LGBT community. I was hoping that he would be more circumspect and sensible in dealing with vulnerable sectors like the LGBT community.
I call on our brothers and sisters to stop the prejudice and hate and accord us of our individual and collective human rights.
In vigilance and fortitude,
Ms. Bemz D. Benedito
Chairperson
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