Transgender cop serves and protects with pride

This Pride Month, let us meet a transgender cop who currently heads the Women and Children Section of the Quezon City Police District, Police Major Rene T. Balmaceda. 

Balmaceda has in the service for 26 years. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Raised in Roxas Viga, Catanduanes, the 48-year-old Balmaceda was persuaded by her sister who is also in the service, to join the Philippine National Police. 

Balmaceda recalled that her sister was the one who applied and filled-out her application for the PNPA Cadet Admission Test which she eventually passed in 1998. 

“Actually hindi ko pinangarap na maging pulis. Ang ambisyon ko lang talaga ay maging civilian. So dahil sinunod ko ang kagustuhan ng ate ko, napasok ko ang Academy, and so far, 26 years in service na ako,” she said.

(Actually, I never dreamed of being a cop. My ambition really was just to be a civilian. So since I followed what my sister wanted, I joined the Academy and so far i’ve been in service for 26 years.)

BEING GAY IN THE BARRIO

She says people in the barrio are not as accepting of members of the LGBT community. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN NewsShe said her moment of discovering her identity started when she was a child in her hometown in Catanduanes. She adds it was not easy to be gay in the barrio. 

"Sa province kasi, hindi man talaga tanggap lalo na sa baryo ang bakla kasi kumpulan ka ng biruan. At province kasi, hindi masyadong ma-aadapt ang ganyang pagkatao dahil more on sa bukid is man-dominated lahat diba po." 

(In the province, not everyone accepts gays, specially in the barrio because everyone jokes about you. Its the province so they cant really adapt to people like that because the farm is male-dominated.)

"So ako naman, pinagpatuloy ko lang hanggang sa nakapagtapos ako ng college. Pumasok ng Academy, ako to, hindi ako nagbabago.”

(So me, I just continued until I finished college. I entered the Academy as me, I didn’t change.)

She says she doesn't pay much attention to discrimination against her as she knows she can't control what everyone thinks. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

 "Ang diskriminasyon po ay hindi natin maiiwasan sa bawat isa at hindi natin hawak ang utak ng bawat isang personality, ng bawat isang tao kaya sa akin. Kung meron man normal na yun sa akin." 

(We can’t avoid discrimination from everyone and we can’t control what they think about me. If there is discrimination, I think it’s normal.)

BEING GAY IN THE PNP 

Balmaceda said that in her 26 years of service, she never felt discrimination from her superiors, co-workers, and even from the public.

"So far wala akong naranasan o wala akong naririnig sa mga katrabaho ko at bagkus lalo pa nila akong na-aappreciate dahil hindi ko itinatago ang pagkatao ko.” 

(So far I haven’t experience or heard anything from my peers, instead they appreciate me because I dont hide who I am.)

She says the PNP does not are about one's orientation as long as you do your job well. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN NewsShe added, “Ang kapulisan, walang tinitignan kung ano ka, basta nagtatrabaho ka ng matino sa organisasyon at may nagagawa kang maganda." 

(In the police force, they don't mind as long as your work is good for the organization and you do good.)

However she admitted that discrimination against LGBT in the country is unavoidable, but she remains unbothered so she can focus on her goals in servicing the people and communities with pride. 

Balmaceda said that through their District Director, Police General Rodrigo Maranan, they are in the process of creating an LGBT Desk for complaints and reports for victims of violence and hate crimes. 

The QCPD is in the process of making a desk for the LGBT community. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

She also expressed her gratitude to her colleagues for the past 26 years. 

"Ang masasabi ko sa mga kapulisan ng Quezon City nakatrabaho ko in 26 years, maraming maraming salamat din dahil natanggap nila ako kung sino ako at masaya din sila na nakakasama ang isang katulad ko. Kasi ako yung member ng LGBT na hindi ako istrikto pagdating sa trabaho pero ang sa akin lang gawin natin ang lahat ng trabaho pagkatapos nito, masaya tayo." 

(What I can say to the Quezon City cops who I have worked with in 26 years is I am really grateful because they accepted who I am. Because I am a member of the LGBT community that is not really strict when it comes to our job but if we do well then after everything, we are happy.)