MANILA, Philippines — After Pope Francis voiced his support for same-sex civil unions, Senator Imee Marcos on Friday urged her colleagues in the Senate to tackle her bill seeking to allow conjugal ownership of properties among same-sex couples.
“Sabi ng Santo Papa, ‘Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God.’ Tayong lahat ay anak ng Diyos, na lahat ring minamahal ng Panginoon. Amen po,” Marcos said in a message to reporters when sought for comment on the pontiff’s pronouncement.
(The Pope said: ‘Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God.’ We are all children of God, all of us are loved by Him. Amen.)
“[S]ana magka-hearing na yung aking [Senate Bill No.] 417 na kumikilala sa ‘civil union’ na binanggit ni Pope Francis, kung saan may karapatan at obligasyon ang bawat partner ng isang mahabang samahan,” she added.
(I hope my colleagues will start hearing my [Senate Bill No.] 417 that recognizes the ‘civil union’ mentioned by Pope Francis, where the rights and obligations of long-time partners are recognized.)
Under her bill, cohabiting same-sex partners will have a legal right to “jointly acquire, own, use, enjoy, manage, sell, dispose or alienate property for their benefit.”
The measure, which Marcos filed in July 2019, is pending at the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality.
“Property ownership, for so many, provides the citizen with the assurance that in times of difficult challenges, there is hope for survival and there will be better days ahead,” the bill’s explanatory note said.
“The rights of same sex partners to acquire and own property jointly, and to use, sell, dispose or in any manner alienate such property for their benefit deserves protection,” it further read.
The measure also protects the rights of same-sex couples to a “just share of such properties acquired during the partnership in case of death, disability or incapacity of the other partner, and in instances of separation or termination of the partnership and/or abandonment of one partner by the other for any cause.”