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MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine Supreme Court overturned a decision today barring a gay rights group from contesting national elections in May and recognized it as a legitimate political party for the first time.

In a unanimous ruling, the 15-member court threw out decisions by the Elections Commission denying accreditation to Ang Ladlad (Out of the Closet) on grounds that it tolerates immorality and offends both Christians and Muslims.

The justices said the party had complied with all legal requirements, and that there is no law against homosexuality.

"I felt vindicated," said the group's leader, Danton Remoto, an English professor at the Jesuit-run Ateneo de Manila University. He said that Ang Ladlad had struggled for recognition and accreditation for the past seven years.

The Elections Commission caused outrage among gays and liberals in November by saying the group cannot run as a political party because it "tolerates immorality which offends religious beliefs." Three of the commissioners cited passages from the Bible and the Quran to justify their ruling, claiming that Ang Ladlad exposes young people to "an environment that does not conform to the teachings of our faith."

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Rainbow greetings from Manila, Philippines!
Philippine Forum on Sports, Culture, Sexuality and Human Rights (TEAM PILIPINAS) is a registered non-profit organization working on social change for and by young Filipino lesbians, gays, bakla, bayot, bantut, bisexuals, tomboy, transgenders, transsexuals, intersex (LGBTI) and other sexual and gender minorities (SGM) from the grassroots. TEAM PILIPINAS believes that (Philippine) society's view on LGBTIs and SGMs as either being mentally disordered, sinners or immoral people is wrong, oppressive and unjust and that there is a need to raise people's awareness on these issues and to mobilize public action against such discriminatory views. And with that, on December 5, 2009, the same day as the Manila Pride March, TEAM PILIPINAS organized the 'I AM NOT IMMORAL!' Photo and Video Project in fulfilling the above-mentioned political needs.

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The Workshop on Leadership and Capacity Building for the Youth and LGBT Trade Unionists was held by Public Services International Trade Union Right Network (PSI TURN) Project and it's affiliated in Philippines. The workshop held on August 12, 2009 at Fersal Place Hotel, Quezon City, Philippines. The aims of the workshop were to increasing share of voice on the important issues concerning decent work and rights at work for LGBT workers.

The participants shared common concerns and workforce issues: discrimination, homophobia, denied their basic rights and benefits, unemployment and underemployment, unorganized/absence of LGBT workers in the union movement.

The participants concluded the workshop and given input that the unions should strive to achieve equality and equal rights for all. The participants also suggested possible recommendations:

• to create PSI Philippines LGBT Network
• to make proposal to develop a program for the Youth and LGBT under the Discrimination Convention of the ILO

For more information, please contact: Mr. Norman Grecia, National Project Coordinator of TURP in the Philippines and Mr. Eross Ocampo, PSI APYN Coordinator for Southeast Asia

Source : http://www.world-psi.org/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=23242&TEMPLATE=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm

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A gay rights political party banned from participating in next year's Philippine elections on so-called moral grounds blasted the decision Friday as discriminatory and vowed to take legal action.

A gay rights political party banned from participating in next year's Philippine elections on so-called moral grounds blasted the decision Friday as discriminatory and vowed to take legal action.

Ang Ladlad chairman Danton Remoto said the party was preparing to file a court motion challenging the Commission on Election's ruling.

"This is a sloppy and biased decision because he is a Eucharistic minister," Remoto told AFP, referring to election commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer, who ruled against Ang Ladlad last week.

"The problem of Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer is he is focused on the religious and moral aspect, which is really difficult to prove in a court of law."

Justifying his decision, Ferrer cited verses from the Christian Bible and Islam's holy book, the Koran, as proof that homosexuality was immoral.

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