WITH the recent reports of discrimination circulating online, Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon felt the need to strengthen the power of the Anti-Discrimination Commission of Cebu City.

In a resolution he authored, Dizon is requesting Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella to convene the Anti-Discrimination Commission pursuant to his authority as the chairperson of the Committee.

Dizon wants the mayor to exercise his power to select the members of the commission.

The commission was constituted in 2016.

The resolution, created by Dizon, is anchored with City Ordinance No. 2339 or the ordinance prohibiting discrimination in Cebu City on the basis of disability, age, health, status, sexual orientation and gender identity, ethnicity and religion.

The Council had approved the said resolution during the regular session on Tuesday, August 27, 2019.

Ordinance 2339 was approved by Sangguniang Panlungsod in October 2012.

The said ordinance, according to Dizon, was enacted in accordance with the Constitutional guarantee that the “State values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights.”

It seeks to address discrimination, helps build a culture of respect for diversity and tolerance, foster peaceful co-existence, and values human rights and dignity, a part of the resolution reads.

Prior this week, Dizon had also pushed a resolution enjoining the management of shopping malls, passenger terminals, hospitals, and other establishments to designate the person with disability (PWD) restroom as a universal or gender-neutral toilet.

The restroom should be identified by putting a “gender-neutral restroom” sign.

The resolution was proposed in line with the recent incident involving a transwoman at a mall in Cubao, Quezon City who experienced discrimination after using the female bathroom.

Dizon said that the incident has caught the attention of the LGBTQ+ community and the national media.

He stated that it is imperative for the establishments to be oriented again on the fundamentality of respect and non-discrimination within their premises.