LGBT Rainbow Troops | #SameSexMarriagePH | Same-sex marriage Philippines

Marriage is about love,
not gender.

LGBT Rights Philippines: Remus Mark Carballo & Rolenz Serrano for civil union, same-sex marriage Philippines #SameSexMarriagePH

We're Remus & Rolenz.

We're a Filipino same-sex couple who got married on August 8, 2018 in a ceremony witnessed by our families and friends.

Since then we've been lobbying for the government to recognize us legally and accord the same rights enjoyed by married heterosexual couples.

Our story

I met Rolenz on social media. He swept me off my feet with his boy-next-door looks and charming ways. After seven months of being together I popped the question on November 9, 2017 under the giant aquarium at Manila Ocean Park. He said yes and immediately we started planning our wedding.

We considered doing our wedding outside the Philippines. I know gay friends who got married in the USA and New Zealand. However with the limited budget we had we knew it would be impossible to bring our loved ones abroad. It would be just the two of us if we had our wedding outside the country. And we didn't want that.

Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar

We wanted our special day to be witnessed by the people we love. We wanted to share the joy with them. And that's what we did.

On August 8, 2018 (8/8/2018), we were blessed by Father Crescencio Gaba Agbayani Jr. of LGBTS Christian Church in a simple wedding ceremony witnessed by a few dozen family members, friends, ninongs, and ninangs. We served a small feast of yummy Filipino food. We laughed, cried, and sang with people we love. It was truly a special night.

Stealing kisses at Angkor Wat, Cambodia

We borrowed money from my brother to get a business license to restart our travel agency Javalava Tours in Marikina. We borrowed money from Rolenz's sister and built office tables from scratch and got a broadband internet connection. We work hard day and night and enjoy the simple joys of being able to work together for our dreams. On busy days when I cannot even leave my desk for lunch, my husband spoon-feeds me while I work so I won't get an acid attack. On extremely hot nights in the summer while I was sleeping, he would give me spongebaths to make me feel cooler. I could not ask for a better husband and life partner.

We left for Indochina on September 18, 2018 and started our 105-days, six-countries honeymoon. We saw the Angkor Wat in Cambodia, we fell in love with the lanterns of Hoi An in Vietnam, we conquered Kuang Si Falls in Laos, we had the best grilled Red snapper and made good friends in Ngapali in Myanmar, we learned how to cook khao pad moo krob in Thailand, and saw the Twin Towers in Malaysia.

We came back to the Philippines on January 1, 2019 with zero savings and a great desire to build our new life together. We dream that someday we can fulfill our goal of having our own restobar and beachfront hostel. Libre naman mangarap, di ba?

Kayangan Lake, Palawan, Philippines

On May 23, 2019, Rolenz and I went to Social Security System (SSS) to have our membership data updated from single to married. I have been an active SSS member for over a decade and I have made significant contributions over this time. We submitted our marriage certificate issued by LGBTS Christian Church and signed by our ninongs and ninangs, hoping SSS would approve and recognize my husband Rolenz as my beneficiary so that if anything happens to me he would be the rightful recipient of what he is entitled to as my husband.

My beloved father, Papa Tony, passed away in May 2018. He left nothing to me except his ashes and a rainbow-colored handkerchief and to my Mama Pia, a monthly SSS pension which is really quite helpful.

I am not a rich man. If I pass away today, I won't have anything to leave to my husband except a mobile phone, a laptop, clothes that won't even fit him, and I was hoping, an SSS pension.

On June 25, 2019 we received a call from SSS. We were informed that our application was rejected because we did not submit a marriage certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority, a document which we do not possess and will not be given to us because we are a same-sex couple.

We are married.

If anyone asked my friends, they will say I'm married.

If anyone asked my Mama Pia, she will say I'm married.

If anyone asked Rolenz's family, they will say we're married.

We are listed as married on Facebook. We tick the "married" box when we fill out any form.

In our hearts and minds, we try our best to carry out the responsibilities of a married couple.

It's a huge heartbreak that we are not married for the people of SSS and the Philippine government.

The Philippines needs to legalize same-sex marriage. It needs to be done now. Everyone deserves equal treatment. We all deserve equal rights.

We started this campaign to raise awareness about the struggles faced by married same-sex couples in the Philippines and why the government should pay attention.

Support our signature campaign on Change.org

Sign the petition

Our wedding video

We're Remus & Rolenz

Our story

What we're doing

On August 8, 2018, we were blessed by Father Crescencio Agbayani Jr. of LGBTS Christian Church in a simple wedding ceremony witnessed by our loved ones.

What we're doing

1. WE STARTED A SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN

We started a signature campaign on Change.org urging the government to legalize same-sex marriage in the Philippines. The petition has collected 23,825 signatures as of August 12, 2021.

2. WE'RE TAKING IT TO SOCIAL MEDIA

We created a Facebook page to spread awareness about the campaign and to get more support. We're doing the same on Twitter and Instagram. Our tweet has 2,020 retweets and 3,820 likes as of August 12, 2021. We're happy with those numbers but what makes this journey worth it is the outpour of support from netizens from different corners of the globe. Our journey is inspiring other LGBT couples to dream of getting married someday and this fills our hearts with so much joy.

Javalava Tours at Metro Manila Pride March 2019 #ResistTogether

3. WE'RE TAKING IT TO THE STREETS

We made posters and put them up in LGBT-friendly shops so we can reach more people. We go out and talk to people. We share our story.

4. WE'RE RAISING FUNDS

We started a fund-raising drive to help finance this endeavor.

5. WE'RE LOOKING FOR ALLIES

We're searching for other Filipino same-sex couples who experienced social injustice due to the absence of same-sex marriage laws in the Philippines so we can compile our stories, synergize our battleplan, and present a strong case to the courts and the Congress of the Philippines.

6. WE'RE REACHING OUT TO OUR LEGISLATORS

We're tweeting and sending emails to our legislators for them to know about our struggles and help us accomplish our goals.

How you can help

SIGN THE PETITION

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RETWEET

OUR TWEET

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LIKE & SHARE OUR FACEBOOK POST

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EMAIL OUR LEGISLATORS

Email us and we'll send more info

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DONATE

Any amount will help

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"Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in."

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Our wedding photos

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Key events

Filipino married same-sex couple | LGBT Rights Philippines: Remus Mark Carballo & Rolenz Serrano for civil union, same-sex marriage Philippines #SameSexMarriagePH

Married Filipino same-sex couple | LGBT Rights Philippines: Remus Mark Carballo & Rolenz Serrano for civil union, same-sex marriage Philippines #SameSexMarriagePH

Filipino same-sex wedding | LGBT Rights Philippines: Remus Mark Carballo & Rolenz Serrano for civil union, same-sex marriage Philippines #SameSexMarriagePH

LGBT wedding in the Philippines | LGBT Rights Philippines: Remus Mark Carballo & Rolenz Serrano for civil union, same-sex marriage Philippines #SameSexMarriagePH

Filipino same-sex couple | LGBT Rights Philippines: Remus Mark Carballo & Rolenz Serrano for civil union, same-sex marriage Philippines #SameSexMarriagePH

Filipino LGBT couple | LGBT Rights Philippines: Remus Mark Carballo & Rolenz Serrano for civil union, same-sex marriage Philippines #SameSexMarriagePH

Filipino LGBT Wedding | LGBT Rights Philippines: Remus Mark Carballo & Rolenz Serrano for civil union, same-sex marriage Philippines #SameSexMarriagePH

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WATCH:

Our "underwater" marriage proposal at Manila Ocean Park

8 / 8 / 2018

At Metro Manila Pride March 2019 #ResistTogether

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE PETITION

In October 2015, Filipino gay lawyer Jesus Falcis III filed a case before the Supreme Court of the Philippines urging the court to declare the marriage restriction in the country’s Family Code – which limits marriage to one man and one woman – unconstitutional. It also asked the court to recognize marriage equality in the Philippines. Falcis argued that the marriage restrictions violate his rights to due process, equal protection, and forming a family under the Philippine Constitution.

The Supreme Court dismissed the petition on September 3, 2019. According to the Supreme Court, the LGBT minority’s fight “should be addressed to Congress” instead of the high court itself. The Supreme Court has previously affirmed that they recognize the long history of marginalization and inequality faced by the LGBT community, however, the high court pointed out that the petitioner violated the principle of hierarchy of court and failed to raise an actual justiciable controversy noting that Falcis cannot claim injury since he is not seeking marriage for himself or has presented an actual case.

The Supreme Court won’t be entertaining any further pleadings or motions on the matter, said Supreme Court Clerk of Court Edgar Aricheta, but the junked petition doesn’t mean it’s the end of the line for same-sex marriage in the Philippines. In fact, it could very well mark the start of another battle toward legalizing marriages for LGBT community.

This recent petition is the furthest that legalization of same-sex marriages in the Philippines has gotten.

Key events

BABAYLAN

The earliest account of LGBT visibility in the Philippines dates back to pre-colonial times. Indigenous communities recognized the Babaylan or Asog as someone who has the ability to mediate with the spirit world, possesses spirit guides, and is given gifts of healing, foretelling, and insight. The Babaylan can be a woman or a man. The male Babaylan were free to have homosexual relations without judgment. The Babaylan were so powerful that they could lead the barangay or grassroots community in the absence of the datu or leader. They were also instrumental in the fight against Spanish oppression by leading revolts with incantations to boost the strength of the troops.

ASIA'S FIRST PRIDE MARCH

The first Pride March in all of Asia was held in the Philippines on June 26, 1994 which coincided with the 20th anniversary of the Stonewall Riot. Organized by PROGAY Philippines and the Metropolitan Community Church, it was marked as the first public display of the fight for LGBT rights in the country.

LGBT RIGHTS FOR THE COMMUNIST MOVEMENT

The revolutionary organization Communist Party of the Philippines integrated LGBT rights into its party platform in 1992, becoming the first Philippine political party to do so. The organization has performed same-sex marriages among their members since 2005 in territories under their control.

THE PHILIPPINES IS ONE OF THE MOST GAY-FRIENDLY NATIONS IN ASIA.

A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center entitled “The Global Divide on Homosexuality” revealed that 73% of adult Filipinos agreed with the statement that “homosexuality should be accepted by society.”

PHILIPPINE LAWS DO NOT OFFER ANY PROTECTION FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGES, CIVIL UNIONS, OR DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS.

In December 2014, Secretary of Presidential Communications Office Herminio Coloma Jr. (for then President Benigno Aquino III), commented on same-sex marriage, saying, "We must respect the rights of individuals to enter into such partnerships as part of their human rights, but we just need to wait for the proposals in Congress".

On February 18, 2016, during his campaign, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced that should he win the election he would consider legalizing same-sex marriage if a proposal is presented to him. In March 2017, however, Duterte said that he personally opposes same-sex marriage. On December 17, 2017, Duterte changed his position on the issue, expressing his support again. He further guaranteed that the rights of LGBT people in the Philippines would be protected and nurtured during his term.

In October 2016, Speaker of the House of Representatives Pantaleon Alvarez announced that he would file a bill to legalize civil unions for both opposite-sex and same-sex couples. By October 25, 2016, more than 150 lawmakers had signified their support for the bill. Alvarez introduced the bill on October 10, 2017. The bill was also under the wing of Representatives Geraldine Roman of Bataan (the first transgender person elected to the Congress of the Philippines), Gwendolyn Garcia of Cebu, and Raneo Abu of Batangas. In the Senate, conservative senators Tito Sotto, Joel Villanueva, Win Gatchalian, and Manny Pacquiao vowed to block the bill should it ever pass the House of Representatives. On the other hand, it was supported by Senators Risa Hontiveros and Grace Poe. Following the adjournment of the 17th Congress and the subsequent 2019 general elections, the civil union bill was reintroduced by Alvarez in May 2019.

SOGIE EQUALITY BILL

The only bill directly concerning discrimination against the LGBT community in the Philippines is the Anti-Discrimination Bill, also known as the SOGIE Equality Bill. This bill seeks that all persons regardless of sex, sexual orientation or gender identity be treated the same as everyone else, wherein conditions do not differ in the privileges granted and the liabilities enforced. The bill was introduced by Honorable Kaka J. Bag-ao, the District Representative of the Dinagat Islands, on July 1, 2013. A huge bloc of lawmakers, collectively called the Equality Champs of Congress, have been pushing for the full passage of the Anti-Discrimination Bill for 18 years. More than 130 lawmakers backed its complete passage and legislation in the first month of its reintroduction to Congress in 2016 alone.

On September 20, 2017, the bill passed its third reading in the House of Representatives, in a unanimous 198–0 vote, under the wing of representatives Kaka Bag-ao, Teddy Baguilat, Tom Villarin, Christopher de Venecia, Geraldine Roman, Arlene Brosas, Carlos Zarate, and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez after 17 years of languishing in Congress. After passage in the House, the bill had to be voted on in the Senate. Conservative senators Tito Sotto, Manny Pacquiao, and Joel Villanueva told media that they would block the bill at its current state, while Win Gatchalian, Dick Gordon, Migz Zubiri, Cynthia Villar, Ping Lacson, Gregorio Honasan, Alan Peter Cayetano, Chiz Escudero, Ralph Recto and Koko Pimentel expressed support only if modifications to the bill were passed. Senator Risa Hontiveros, the principal author and backer of the bill, championed the bill's passage in the Senate. The bill was also backed by senators Nancy Binay, Franklin Drilon, Bam Aquino, Loren Legarda, JV Ejercito, Kiko Pangilinan, Grace Poe, Antonio Trillanes, Sonny Angara, and Leila de Lima. In January 2018, the bill finally reached the period of amendments after the period of interpolations was deemed finished.

It took almost a year before it reached the period of amendments due to conservative senators who vowed to block the bill until the very end. In February and March 2018, Senators Sotto, Pacquiao and Villanueva renewed their call against the passage of the bill in any of its possible forms. In June 2019, with the end of the session of the 17th Congress, the bill officially died, as the Senate had failed to tackle it in that session. The bill has become one of the slowest-moving bills in the country's history.