Category Archives: Government

Preempting SOGIE: Baguio City Council Passes SOGO

August 20, 2019 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Baguip Bureau) – The Summer Capital of the Philippines has become infamous because of controversial ordinances passed by its City Councilors and signed into law by the Mayor.

The ordinances include ‘no cussing’ and ‘no use of electronic gadgets while walking the streets of Baguio. At some point the local officials were also considering a Barangay proposal to ban the public hanging of underwear to dry.

Now, Baguio City Hall, in a move to preempt the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE) Bill now being deliberated on in the Philippine Senate, has passed its own local ordinance in support of the LGBT community.

The new law is called SOGO — Sexual Orientation and Gender Ordinance — which outlines comprehensive measures to prevent and outlaw discriminatory practices directed at LGBTs.

While LGBT advocates praised the new ordinance, a popular budget hotel chain is suing the city government for trademark infringement. The hotel chain, of course, is SOGO.

Government, Travel

MMDA To Implement New Scheme To Permanently Solve EDSA Traffic

August 17, 2019 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Yellow lanes. Coding. Provincial bus ban. Nothing seems to work to bring about a smooth flow of traffic along EDSA, Metro Manila’s busiest and longest thoroughfare.

Finally, the technocrats at the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) have come up with a new scheme which they are very confident will permanently solve EDSA’s traffic nightmare.

Patterned after the HOV (High Occupancy Vehicles) and carpool lane policies in place in the U.S. and other developed countries, the new MMDA scheme will throw out all traffic regulations in place and enforce a new, foolproof lane designation scheme from end to end on EDSA.

There will only be three designated lanes, one each for singles, those in a relationship, and those whose relationship status is complicated.

MMDA says the idea was inspired by Facebook.

Diversity, Government, LGBT, Politics

PWDs Storm Senator Cynthia Villar’s Office Over Transgender Issue

August 17, 2019 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Be careful what comes out of you mouth because it may come back to haunt you. This was the lesson learned by Senator Cynthia Villar after Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) stormed her office over the ongoing transgender issue.

Villar recently suggested that while the SOGIE (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression) Bill is still being considered by legislators, transgender women should be allowed to use public restrooms designated for PWDs, saying these facilities are not always in use.

The Senate is now deliberating on SOGIE following that Quezon City shopping mall incident where Filipina Transgender Gretchen Custodio Diez was denied use of the women’s restroom.

The PWDs berated Villar for compromising their own rights just so she could gain some points with the LGBT community.

”It seems that the Senator’s idea of equality is to cut a slice of the pie of one disadvantaged sector to give to another equally-disasvantaged sector,” the protesters said.

Asked for comment, Villar said, “Sowee na po. Tao lang po.” (Sorry. I’m just human)