MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – It’s been languishing in the Senate for some time now and the chances of its passing are still nil.

“It” is the SOGIE Bill – Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Equality, authored by Senator Risa Hontiveros.

In order to increase its chances of becoming law, Hontiveros announced she was renaming the bill SHOKIE – Stop Harassment of Kababayan in Intersex Engagement.

This new bill title, she says, is more inclusive and does not imply special rights and privileges for the LGBTQIA+ community.

“Intersex encompasses all genders, orientation and preferences and we are hopeful this will address all the concerns of my fellow lawmakers,” Hontiveros told The Adobo Chronicles.