SPEAK UP VS. DISCRIMINATION. Davao City Councilor Halila Y. Sudagar urges the city mayor to sign the implementing rules and regulations of the Anti-Discrimination ordinance during the council’s regular session on Tuesday, Nov. 15. Sudagar said that discrimination is still rampant in the city, but the ordinance could not be used as a safeguard because of the absence of the IRR. (Paulo C. Rizal/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — A Moro councilor has urged Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte to sign the implementing rules and regulations of the Anti-discrimination ordinance as the Muslim sector in the city continue to face discrimination.
“Until now, discrimination is still rampant. Many people would like to use the anti-discrimination ordinance as a remedy, however, they cannot use it because of the absence of the IRR,” said Councilor Halila Y. Sudagar, chairperson of Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs in an interview Tuesday.
In her privilege speech, Sudagar said that she submitted a resolution urging Duterte and the technical working group to sign the implementing rules and regulations of the ordinance.
Signed in 2012, the ordinance was hailed as a “landmark” legislation as it declares unlawful and penalizes all “acts of discrimination based on sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, descent, national or ethnic origin, and religious affiliation or beliefs.”
Sudagar, a member of the Kagan tribe, specified that one of the most discriminated sectors is the Muslim sector. She said Muslims are often rejected during job applications because of discrimination.
“Many were refused in job applications because they were Muslims. Sometimes, they are made to take off their hijab. Many were also refused accommodations in condominiums and subdivisions,” she said.
Sudagar noted that discrimination is rampant in shopping malls. “In malls, they do not accept Muslim applicants. They junk the bio data when they know that the applicant is a Muslim.”
Among the definitions of discrimination specified in Article IV of the said ordinance is the refusal of employment, as well as the refusing of accommodation to a person in any dwelling place based on ethnic origin, religious affiliation, sex, and sexual orientation.
Sudagar, however, said that the resolution was merely a “humble request.”
“We use the humble request because that would be the proper [way]. We also know the separation of the legislative and the executive. But because many lobby groups went to the office to request for the approval of the IRR. That is why we are just acting on the request,” Sudagar said. (davaotoday.com)
