DepEd asked: Why reiterate Pride Month memo when it’s always voluntary?

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has been quizzed why it had to reiterate a memorandum that students’ participation in Pride Month activities is not mandatory, when joining events has always been on a voluntary basis.

At the House of Representatives’ plenary discussions on DepEd’s proposed budget for 2027, Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña asked why the department came up with a memorandum circular last September 10 “to clarify the nature of Pride Month activities” when the previous document did not mandate attendance.

Pride Month is observed in the Philippines and other areas across the globe in June to celebrate the culture of people affiliated with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual and others (LGBTQIA+) community.

Article continues after this advertisement

READ: Bible verses invoked in House hearing to oppose Anti-Discrimination bill

FEATURED STORIES

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

“This Sept. 10, the DepEd came out with a memo to clarify the nature of Pride Month activities, because some people reacted to a question that was raised during the budget deliberations about attending Pride Month activities being mandatory,” Cendaña, himself an outspoken member of the LGBTQIA+ community, said.

“But when we read the original memo, what was stated there was that participation in the activity is voluntary and not mandatory.  So the question is: why did we release a new memo to reiterate that attendance in Pride activities is voluntary and not mandatory?” he added.

In response, Davao de Oro Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora, who was defending DepEd’s budget, admitted that it was based on a request from their colleague.

“Mr. Speaker, Your Honor, the release of that memo was an offshoot of a request of a colleague during the committee hearing to highlight that the participation in Pride Month activities will be strictly voluntary and not mandatory, Mr. Speaker, Your Honor,” Zamora said.

Article continues after this advertisement

“Mr. Speaker, this representation would like to manifest that there was nothing wrong in the first DepEd memo.  In fact the new generation of LGBT students, pupils in the basic education sector, they deserve to feel that they are accepted within the four corners of their classrooms,” Cendaña replied.

“We believe that an inclusive and accepting learning environment is an efficient and effective learning environment. Having said that, we thank the DepEd family for embracing inclusion and standing up against stigma and discrimination,” he added.

Article continues after this advertisement

Zamora and Cendaña did not mention the lawmaker who asked for a clarification on the Pride Month memorandum, but last Sept. 8 — when DepEd’s proposed budget was still at the House committee on appropriations — Bagong Henerasyon party-list Rep. Robert Nazal asked for a clarification on the department’s policy towards the program.

Nazal asked Education Secretary Sonny Angara whether students are required to attend Pride Month celebrations, as they supposedly received complaints from parents from different Southern Luzon schools that students from the Grade 2 level — or as young as seven to eight years old — are being required to participate in such activities.

Some of the schools Nazal mentioned include two from Bacoor, Cavite; another in Lucena, Quezon province; and one more from Cainta, Rizal.

Angara clarified during the hearing that students are not required to attend Pride Month activities.

“We don’t require students to attend these events, Your Honor,” he said.

“I ask, because we received a complaint from a parent whose Grade 2 child was reportedly made to participate in a Pride Month celebration. So if that’s the case, what is DepEd’s scientific and child development basis for determining that these activities are age-appropriate for children as young as Grade 1 and Grade 2?” Nazal asked.

“I don’t think, these should not be sanctioned events or we should not impose attendance at these events. If ever they should be purely voluntary, your Honor,” Angara added.

Later during that same hearing, Angara stressed that the existing policy is that the activities are catered to employees if they wish, and not to learners or students. Nazal then called on Angara and DepEd to come up with a memorandum that would clarify this matter.

“We have an existing policy that it should only apply to employees if they wish, and not to the learners, your Honor. So we will reiterate that policy and make sure there is no coercion or compulsion in these activities, your Honor,” Angara said.

“Thank you for that, maybe we can come up with a specific policy that we can release through a memorandum immediately,” Nazal replied.

“We can do a reiteration, we can do that ASAP (as soon as possible), your Honor,” Angara assured the lawmaker.

While the Philippines has been hailed as one of the countries with vibrant LGBTQIA+ communities, the push for equal treatment and protection against abuse has faced an uphill battle. Until now, a Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill which would have pushed for fair treatment of LGBTQIA+ members, has failed to hurdle Congress.

Even a proposed Anti-Discrimination Bill was met with stiff opposition from conservative sectors, with several bible verses being used to oppose the measure during a hearing of the House committee on human rights.

READ: Bill to protect heterosexuals filed; LGBTQIA+ group calls it ‘a joke of a law’ 

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

Members of the LGBTQIA+ community also called out the filing of a bill that seeks to protect the right of heterosexuals to practice, promote, and defend their own sexual preference, saying it is a joke because anti-discriminatory laws are geared towards homosexuals because they are the ones targeted by attacks. /das