“To deny their human rights is to challenge their very humanity”

To the honorableBoard of Adjudicators, Mr. Moderator, esteemed co-debaters,

ladies and gentlemen, good morning!

The proposal to legalize civil partnership is worth of consideration for

today’s academic discourse. Our first speaker proved to you that this move is
clearly necessary and as the second speaker of the affirmative side, allow me to
prove to you why such move is beneficial.

First. Application of the laws of marital status to civil partnership couple.

“No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due

process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws.”,
stated in theSection 1 under article III of the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

House Bill 6595, principally authored by Bataan RepresentativePantaleon

Alvarez, aims to support the welfare and well-being of couples, of either the
opposite or same sex, who are denied their rights and obligations on account of
absence of legal provisions that recognize their relationship and fully provide for
their protection.

The proposed bill also seeks to allowthe couples to adopt minors andfor
them to be legally recognized as the child's legal guardians and parents with
respect to their children, as stated in the section 11 of the HB 6595.

Moreover, section 16 of the same bill states that “the procedures and
grounds for legal separation, annulment and declaration of nullity of marriages
under the Family Code of the Philippines, as ammended, shall be applicable in civil
partnership”.
 In relation to this, the court may provide for support of pendente lite in all
actions brought about by the dissolution of civil partnership.

Presented also in the section 12 of the bill that “Civil partnership couples
legally owe each other respect, fidelity, support and assistance.” This will lead me
then to my second point which is,

Civil Partnership will serve as a landmark effort to provide civil rights, benefits, and
responsibility to couple

Legalizing the Civil Partnership will allow the couple to obtain from the civil
registrar a certified true copy of the record of the civil partnership for all legal
purposes and to prove that there are no legal impediments to their union. Thus,
giving the couple the right to declare that they are in a stable partnership and
present their civil partnership certificate or license.

Moreover, civil partnership couple shall automatically have insurable

interest over their respective partners and may avail of benefits relating to
insurance, health, and pension benefits provided to couples;

Section 15, provides that “Civil Partnership couples shall have the same
rights and privileges as that granted to married couples with regard application for
social security and other insurance membership and claiming entitlement to their
benefits.”;

In addition, “Labor standard benefits and privileges accorded to employees

based on marital status shall likewise be accorded to employees who entered into
civil partnerships”.
Civil Partnership protects the couple by penalizing unlawful and
discriminatorypractices committed by persons or institutions against them

Section 4 under Article III of the Constitution emphasizes the right of all
Filipinos to freedom of expression and be free from discrimination. Furthermore,
under the section 11, the state values the dignity of every person and guarantees
full respect for human rights.

“The spirit of the bill is to protect couples from discrimination”, Committee

chairperson Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dyexplained during the discussions on
provisions of the bill.

For an employer, to refuse to hire or employ, unless justified by lawful

considerations, from employment such individual because of civil partnership
status, or to discriminate against such individual in compensation or in terms,
conditions or privileges of employment is declared as unlawful or discriminatory
employment practice under section 19 of the bill. Thus, with civil partnership,
couples will be protected against such acts.

Human rights are not a privilege granted by the few, they are a liberty
entitled to all, and human rights by definition, includes the right of all humans,
those in the dawn of life, the dusk of life, or the shadows of life. Based on the
foregoing arguments that I presented we strongly affirm that Civil Partnership
should be legalized. I now rest my case and submit my self for intepellation.