Rowegie Abanto

Senatorial aspirant former Commission on Audit Commissioner Heidi Mendoza answers questions during the Harapan 2025 interview series at the ABS-CBN Compound on January 21, 2025. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

Senatorial aspirant former Commission on Audit Commissioner Heidi Mendoza answers questions during the Harapan 2025 interview series at the ABS-CBN Compound on January 21, 2025. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

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2025 Election

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174427858857820250121-harapan-heidi-mendoza-MD289.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">Senatorial aspirant former Commission on Audit Commissioner Heidi Mendoza answers questions during the Harapan 2025 interview series at the ABS-CBN Compound on January 21, 2025. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Anti-corruption crusader and senatorial candidate Heidi Mendoza is trying to win back the support of the LGBTQIA+ community after she said in a recent forum that she does not favor passage of a same-sex marriage law in the Philippines.</p><p>In a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/heidi.mendoza.31586/posts/pfbid019WrXBZJgCNXDGrQc5NjEcJPefkYLRwfawoXpoDVbqCdvjbMgQ7Lkd6FsK7sAxM2l">Facebook post on Thursday</a>, Mendoza said she would &quot;not stand in the way of same-sex unions becoming law.&quot;</p><p>Mendoza in the post offered apologies as she acknowledged that she had issued statements that were &quot;hurtful&quot; and &quot;disappointing.&quot;</p><p>She also said: &quot;To those who continue to question, challenge, and call me in, I hear you. I will continue to listen. And I will not ask you to wait in silence while I grow.&quot;</p><div><strong>WHAT SHE SAID</strong></div><p>Mendoza, a former Commission on Audit commissioner and undersecretary general of the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/heidi.mendoza.31586/videos/1906025573535846">stressed in the campaign forum</a> that while every person has the right to love, true love knows how to honor and respect institutions.</p><p>Same-sex marriage legislation, she added, could clash with the nation&#x27;s Family Code, which states that marriage is a union between a man and a woman.</p><p>She also said there is no need for same-sex marriage to solve the problems LGBTQIA+ couples face concerning health insurance. She said these can be remedied by crafting internal policies with the insurance firms.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2024/11/5/bill-allowing-queer-couples-to-make-medical-decisions-for-their-partners-filed-1441">&#x27;Right To Care Act&#x27;: Bill allowing queer couples to make medical decisions for their partners filed</a></div><div><strong>&#x27;PUBLIC OFFICE NOT ABOUT PERSONAL BELIEFS&#x27;</strong></div><p>Same-sex marriage has long been a particularly controversial topic in the deeply Catholic Philippines, where even the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2024/5/30/as-pride-2024-opens-lgbt-community-promises-show-of-force-to-pass-sogiesc-equality-bill-2133">anti-discrimination SOGIESC Equality Bill</a> has yet to become law and has raised concerns over freedom of religion.</p><p>Mendoza said that while she would not change her beliefs overnight, she acknowledged that &quot;[p]ublic office is not about enforcing personal beliefs. It is about upholding the rights, dignity, and safety of all Filipinos.&quot;</p><p>&quot;My job is not to impose personal doctrine. It is to serve justice,&quot; she said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/1/22/lgbtq-rights-where-does-southeast-asia-stand-1923">LGBTQ+ rights: Where does Southeast Asia stand?</a></div><p>She vowed to collaborate with LGBTQIA+ organizations and human rights groups in crafting policies &quot;grounded in lived realities, not just theoretical ideals.&quot;</p><p>She said she would deepen her understanding of &quot;inclusive policy-making&quot; to ensure &quot;every Filipino, regardless of gender identity or orientation, has equal access to education, employment, healthcare, and safety.&quot;</p><p>Mendoza also addressed those who share her faith &quot;to walk with me as we build a country where justice is not conditional, and where no one has to choose between safety and identity.&quot;</p><div><strong>&#x27;WILLING TO LISTEN&#x27;</strong></div><p>Last month, a social media card produced by a university publication made the rounds online as it indicated the &quot;qualified no&quot; stance of Mendoza on the SOGIESC Equality Bill.</p><p>After meeting with content creator Sassa Gurl — a prominent LGBTQIA+ voice on social media — to discuss the bill, <a href="https://x.com/HeidiMendoza45/status/1901511784915423432">Mendoza clarified in a post on X</a> that her &quot;qualified no is not a no.&quot;</p><p>She said she was willing to listen, learn more about the SOGIESC Bill, and &quot;take a deeper look&quot; into its provisions.</p><p>Many members of the LGBTQIA+ community have expressed support for Mendoza for her anti-corruption platform and stellar background in public service but her stance on queer issues has been a source of apprehension for some of them.</p><p>After Mendoza issued her statement on same-sex marriage, some LGBTQIA+ voters, <a href="https://x.com/Itssassagurl/status/1909607579149644000">including Sassa Gurl</a>, said on social media that they were withdrawing their support for her.</p><p>Others said they stood by her.</p><p>&quot;I know that for many of you, my stance on marriage feels like a contradiction to the principle of pantay na karapatan (equal rights). And I understand why,&quot; Mendoza said in her statement on Thursday.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/15/house-lawmaker-renews-push-for-same-sex-civil-partnerships-940">House lawmaker renews push for same-sex civil partnerships</a></div>

<p>Corruption buster Heidi Mendoza is trying to win back the support of the LGBTQIA+ community for her Senate bid after she said in a recent forum that she does not favor the passing of a same-sex marriage law in the Philippines.</p>

Corruption buster Heidi Mendoza is trying to win back the support of the LGBTQIA+ community for her Senate bid after she said in a recent forum that she does not favor the passing of a same-sex marriage law in the Philippines.

Heidi Mendoza tries to win back LGBT groups, says won't block same-sex union bills

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Heidi Mendoza tries to win back LGBT groups, says won't block same-sex union bills

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 10, 2025 06:17 PM PHT

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Updated April 10, 2025 06:18 PM PHT

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