By Dominic B. dela Cruz
Staff reporter
Laoag City—The Sangguniang Panlungsod here unanimously approved a resolution adopting the Filipino American Maharlika Association (FAMAS) as partner organization of the city government.
Laoag councilor Portia Pamela R. Salenda said this is the first Filipino organization so far to come out openly to advocate gender equality focusing on the rights and plight of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, women and children.
Ms. Salenda, who sponsored the measure, learned that several members of the FAMAS traces their roots to Laoag.
The same organization earlier donated funds for the Ilocos Norte Medical Association to help in the puericulture centers and at the same time conducted medical missions in the province.
FAMAS desires that the city allows them to prioritize projects for the city aligned with their advocacies for quality health care for the women and children’s welfare and gender quality.
The resolution’s approval is in line with what the Local Government Code of 1991 which states that local government units should recognize the participation of private sectors in local governance particularly in the delivery of basic services to ensure the viability of local autonomy as an alternative strategy for sustainable development
Laoag councilors Handy Lao and Benjamin Roque Ablan co-sponsored the measure.
