Gay remarks ‘stir support for anti-discrimination bill’

July 5, 2011
BAGUIO CITY — Christian groups here see the noise created by the union of eight gay couples in June as a “grand design” to gain support for the approval of an anti-discrimination measure in the House of Representatives.
House Bill No. 1483 or the Anti-discrimination Bill is sponsored by Bayan Muna party-list Representative Teodoro Casiño.
Ateneo law alumni and realty developer Alexander Bangsoy, a leading personality in the charismatic movement in the city and nearby Benguet, sees the wide reaction prompted by the same sex marriages officiated by local pastors in the city as part of a plot to stir debate and evoke discriminatory attitude against the third sex to gather sympathy for HB 1483.
“It sets the stage that they will say we are discriminating (them), though we are not,” he said.
“Even if [only I] and my family will demonstrate against HB 1483 [we will do it],” Bangsoy said. “We cannot allow that even schools will teach our children that attraction is normal for the same sex, citing section 3, letters a and c of HB 1483 defining sexual orientation to include homosexuals and bisexuals,” he added.
On Saturday afternoon, more than a hundred members of various charismatic groups, without the Catholic Church, marched down Session Road to condemn the same sex unions.
The groups vowed to oppose HB 1483 by asking Baguio Representative Bernardo Vergara and Benguet Representative Ronald Cosalan and all House members to junk the measure.
The groups campaigned in social networking sites like Facebook (No To Same Sex Marriage in the Philippines group page) to counter the growing popularity of the gay unions.
A signature campaign at the networking site was also launched.
“We should oppose HB 1483,” Bansoy cajoled the handful of demonstrators who later gathered at the Peoples’ Park where testimonials were heard briefly.
In response, members of the gay community claimed discrimination has now became the main issue and not the marriage.
“This is no longer about the mass-wedding. It’s already about discrimination,” Carol Galvez of the Lesbian for National Democracy or Lesbond said in a statement vowing to bring the matter as high as to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
“Lesbians for National Democracy calls for an end to discrimination in this city and country, especially from the local government and certain religious groups because we lesbians are also protected by the same Magna Carta of Women, which protects your mothers, wives, sisters and daughters,” Galvez added.
The group calls for the recognition of our human rights based not only on Constitution but the covenants that the Philippine government is party to, “because lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights are human rights.”
“We call on our government to follow through on its duty to ensure our equality before the law and show concrete steps towards bringing this city to new heights by looking beyond sexual orientation and gender identity,” the statement added.
Also, the Baguio Pride Network is alarmed at the amount of information that can lead to misunderstanding and rash actions against lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities in Baguio City and the entire country.
The group is referring to the pronouncements of Baguio-Benguet Vicariate Bishop Carlito Cenzon labeling the people involved in the same-sex weddings as “mentally-ill” and “abnormal” including the “hints” of Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan indicating support to the Catholic Church’s stand.
“We fear that these actions and pronouncements add to the already numerous problems of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and the transgender such as hate crimes, discrimination, homophobia and physical violence against us,” Cye Reyes of the BPN said.
She also called on the different sectors of Baguio to defend the human rights of the LGBT citizenry of any part of the society.
Grassroots LGBT organizations like Pro-Gay Metro Baguio and the Thunderbirds Association of the Cordillera and Suburbs (TACSI) also issued similar statements challenging Mayor Domogan and the City Council to pass a local version of the Anti-Discrimination Ordinance to protect the LGBTs against “violence and homophobia.”
The opposition on same sex unions has also gone beyond debate and discourse as the City Council is planning to file a case against Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) pastor Myke Sotero, and two others officiated the wedding of eight gay pairs.
“But [this Council debate] has only popularized the issue all the more,” said City Councilor Erdolfo Balajadia, a former public prosecutor.
“I cannot see [any case with] any legal leg to stand on,” he said.
It was a religious ceremony, not a civil rite, which was officiated, said Balajadia, who was Baguio City’s chief prosecutor for two decades.
But according to Sotero, one of the three pastors who officiated the ceremony, “more and more couples are applying to be unified.”
“This soon, there are at least 50 couples from Manila wanting their union solemnized,” he said.

Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/local-news/2011/07/05/gay-remarks-stir-support-anti-discrimination-bill-165035

Over the holidays, travelers from Manila going to the north for a getaway destination choose Pampanga Angeles City and Clark Philippines as a popular holiday location. Aside from day-time sports and other activities, visitors look for a good wine shop to buy some good wine to celebrate a special occasion or just to make the holiday and vacation more enjoyable. Many wine lovers pick up some good bottles from Clark Wine Center to bring to dinner in some of the good restaurants in Angeles City, Clark Pampanga. Yats Restaurant is one of the most famous fine dining restaurants outside of Manila, located in Mimosa Leisure Estate inside Clark Airbase or Clark Freeport Zone as it is now called. This popular restaurant has become a tourist attraction, a place to visit for those who are in Pampanga, Subic, Angeles City and of course, Clark Philippines. The famous wine shop called Clark Wine Center supplies this famous restaurant in Clark Philippines as well as other good restaurants in Angeles City Pampanga with good wines of all price ranges.

Wine is becoming increasingly popular in Manila and other cities in the Philippines. Wine lovers in Manila travel to the north to visit Clark, Pampanga to shop for good and rate vintage wines at good duty-free prices. The most frequently visited liquor shop in Manila and wine shop in Pampanga is Clark Wine Center. This highly recommended wine shop located outside Manila near Angeles City, Pampanga in North Luzon is known for offering a great selection of fine vintage wine that is good quality and good value for money also.

This well-known wine shop is a famous shopping destination for wine enthusiasts in Manila and wine lovers from other cities in Asia including Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, Osaka and Tokyo.

Famous Philippines wine supplier known for its line of fine vintage wines, Yats Wine Cellars was established in 2000 to address the requirement of a growing population of wine enthusiasts in the Philippines. This 5-star wine shop caters to the discerning client who requires these qualities in their wines: (1) excellent value, (2) large selection of labels and vintages to choose from and (3) wines properly aged for full enjoyment.

Public wine tastings are held from time to time in Clark and sometimes in Manila. Tickets range from p500 to p1500 for these themed events that are professionally run –no wine merchants sponsorship, pushy salesmen or tacky banners to ruin the evening. Each ticket contains a certain number of stubs that can be redeemed for a tasting pour of a wine among those on a line-up which often contains wines that are quite old and expensive.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com