,~·r;:./\ll, il£)l{nt SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session pf IIi" '~f\ \ d~t~ '13 OCT 14 P1 :58 S. B. No.ta3 9 V =====~~==1IY; '>1 f',' INTRODUCED BY SENATOR SONNY ANGARA EXPLANATORY NOTE Article 111, Section 1, of the Bill of Rights of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides for the equal treatment of all individuals. The State is therefore mandated to protect its citizens against all forms of discriminatory acts in order to promote equal protection and eliminate stereotypes and prejudices. The Constitution likewise provides that the Philippines adopt the generally accepted principles of international law as part of the law of the land (Art. 11, See. 2). Under the International Covenants on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, as well as on Civil and Political Rights, state parties like the Philippines should guarantee and ensure respect for the rights of individuals, without discrimination of any kind as to race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, and to adopt such legislative or other measures as may be necessary to give effect to those rights. It is therefore the intent of this bill to provide for a law that prohibits discrimination against people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds. By ensuring equal treatment for all individuals, it is hoped that this legislation will foster peace in all the three major islands of the Philippines, with emphasis on Mindanao where Muslims constitute a large portion of the population. The recently concluded issue on the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancesh'al Domain (MOA-AD) is obviously an indication of how passionate our brothers and sisters from Mindanao are about their freedom, including their freedom from being discriminated. In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

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