HOUSE DEPUTY Speaker Mujiv Hataman of Basilan province lauded the approval of the House Bill No. 8423 or the “Equality and Non-Discrimination on Race, Ethnicity, and Religion Act.”
The bill was introduced by Hataman and Anak Mindanao Rep. Amihilda Sangcopan in 2019.
“We, Anak Mindanao Rep. Amihilda Sangcopan and I, are grateful that this bill was approved ahead of talks on the national budget and Charter Change. The approval or the enactment into law of this measure has long been overdue,” he said.
Hataman, former governor of the Muslim autonomous region, said many Congresses have come and gone, but the Anti-Discrimination Bill has never seen light past the plenary in the House and in the Senate.
“This is why we are so happy that our colleagues in the lower chamber approved the bill on third and final reading. Isa itong hakbang sa tunay na malayang lipunan. Isa itong tagumpay ng mga mamayan laban sa anumang uri ng diskriminasyon base sa lahi, etnisidad o relihiyon. Bilang isa sa mga pangunahing may-akda sa panukalang ito, itinuturing ko itong malaking hakbang ng ating bansa tungo sa isang tunay na malayang lipunan, kung saan ang lahat ay namumuhay ng mapayapa at walang diskriminasyon,” he said.
He also called on lawmakers to approve the Marawi Compensation Bill to be able to help and compensate the victims of the war in Marawi City between security forces and pro-ISIS militants in May 2017.
“We can now only wish that the Marawi Compensation Bill be also given a swift congressional nod. Importante din po ang panukalang ito para mabigyan ng nararapat na ayuda ang mga naging biktima ng Marawi Siege apat na taon na ang nakakaraan. Ang laban natin ngayon ay nasa Senado na. At hinihikayat ko ang ating mga magigiting na senador na sana ay maipasa na rin ang panukalang ito,” Hataman said.
Hataman elaborated on the importance of the Anti-Discrimination Bill.
“Tagumpay ito ng lahat ng Pilipinong naging biktima ng diskriminasyon, kasama na ang mga kapatid nating Moro at mga katutubo. Kapag maisasabatas ang panukalang ito ay wala nang inosenteng Moro ang maaaresto sa isang krimen. Wala nang hindi matatanggap sa trabaho dahil lamang siya ay may suot na hijab.Wala nang hindi tatanggapin sa paaralan dahil lamang sa pangalan niya. Wala nang katutubo ang maaagawan ng lupa sa sarili nilang ancestral domain. At wala nang hindi mabibigyan ng kaukulang serbisyo publiko o pribado man dahil lamang sa kanyang lahi, etnisidad o relihiyon,” he explained.
Hataman thanked lawmakers and House
Speaker Lord Allan Velasco who supported the bill. (Mindanao Examiner)
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