MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday issued an executive order creating a special committee on Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBTQIA+) issues.

Executive Order 51, released Saturday, is meant to "strengthen existing mechanisms to address the continued discrimination being experienced by the members of the LGBTQIA+ community."

The chairperson of the Special Committee on LGBTQIA+ Affairs will be included in the Inter-Agency Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, now reconstituted as the Diversity and Inclusion committee.

The special committee will be headed by the Department of Social Welfare secretary, with the secretaries of Migrant Workers and Labor serving as co-chairpersons.

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It will also have three members with the rank of assistant secretary appointed by Marcos "from among the members of reputable organizations representing the LGBTQIA+ community."

The committee will convene once every quarter, and ensure that policies will "effectively promote equality, equity, non-discrimination, inclusion and well-being of the LGBTQIA+ community."

Bills penalizing discrimination and exclusion based on sexual orientation or gender identity and expression have languished in Congress for years.

Opponents of the proposed legislation claim there is no need for it and that it might restrict religious freedom in the Philippines, where a majority identifies as Catholic.

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DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION PROGRAM IN 6 MONTHS

The EO mandates the special committee submit to the President within six months “a Diversity and Inclusion Program (DIP), which shall serve as the blueprint of the national government in implementing programs, activities and projects against discrimination of persons.”

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The panel is also expected to “coordinate with concerned government agencies to ensure availability of sufficient and reliable data on the status, challenges and opportunities of the LGBTQIA+ community” as well as to “develop a consultative mechanism allowing continuing dialogue between the government and the LGBTQIA+ community.”

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The executive order comes days after Pope Francis approved a ruling that priests can administer blessings to same-sex couples under certain conditions and as long as the blessings do not resemble marriage and are not part of Church rituals or liturgies.

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