The Philippines is "not ready" yet for same-sex marriage and a proposed bill seeking protection for the LGBTQIA+ community, according to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin 'Boying' Remulla.
In a press briefing on Monday, Remulla said the government had to reject some recommendations made by member-states of the United Nations Human Rights Council due to Filipinos' religious belief.
"Culturally, our values may [has a] conflict with many of the values that they want to impose upon us… That’s what we believe, unless somebody argues otherwise; that is our position right now," Remulla said.
"Culturally we are not ready for that, that's what we believe. That's our position right now," he added.
During his program with DZRH over the weekend, Remulla also revealed that the country rejected measures such as the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression Equality (SOGIE) bill.
"They want the SOGIE Bill for same-sex marriage to have the same as in their countries. So, that’s not acceptable for us," he said.
According to him, if the country rejected same-sex marriage, it has deferred its stand on divorce because.
"We cannot immediately grant it unless the legislature properly debates about it and lays down the premises–advantages and disadvantages," Remulla said.
Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said the Philippines had accepted 200 of the 279 recommendations by the UN body.
Of the 79, he said they deferred from accepting it, such as divorce, because it requires the participation of another branch of the government.
