03/09/2026
STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR THE QUEZON CITY Q***R CREATIVE PROGRAM ORDINANCE
(Proposed No: PO23CC-233)
The Special Committee on LGBTQIA+ Affairs expresses its strong support for the objectives and passage of the proposed Quezon City Q***r Creative Program Ordinance, which seeks to establish a dedicated and sustainable framework for advancing the participation, visibility, protection, and economic empowerment of LGBTQIA+ artists, cultural workers, creatives, and communities in Quezon City.
The proposed Ordinance goes beyond providing grants, residencies, capacity-building activities, and exhibition and performance opportunities. Through the Quezon City Q***r Creative City Framework, it seeks to establish safe and enabling creative spaces, strengthen q***r arts and cultural programming, preserve LGBTQIA+ histories and cultural memory, promote SOGIESC-inclusive cultural education, support community-based creative practices, and expand opportunities for LGBTQIA+ participation in the cultural and creative economy.
These measures are consistent with the principles of equality, equity, non-discrimination, meaningful participation, and social inclusion that guide the mandate of the Special Committee. They also recognize that arts, culture, heritage, and creative expression are important spaces through which communities exercise their rights, preserve their histories, challenge discrimination, build understanding, and participate meaningfully in social and economic life.
The Special Committee particularly welcomes the proposed Ordinance's emphasis on community participation, artistic freedom, safe creative spaces, support for grassroots and marginalized creatives, and the integration of LGBTQIA+ persons into cultural governance and the creative economy. We likewise encourage that its final implementation framework ensure transparent and equitable access to grants and opportunities, meaningful community participation, protection of personal and SOGIESC-related data, accessible grievance and referral mechanisms, and clear monitoring and accountability measures.
Building on Quezon City's longstanding leadership in advancing LGBTQIA+ rights and inclusive local governance, the proposed Ordinance presents an important opportunity to demonstrate how local governments can harness arts, culture, heritage, and the creative economy as instruments for human rights and inclusive development.
The Special Committee on LGBTQIA+ Affairs stands with the LGBTQIA+ community and Quezon City's creative sector and supports the prioritization and passage of the proposed Ordinance.
