SANGGUNIANG PAMBANSA

NG MGA SIMBAHAN SA PILIPINAS

National Council of Churches in the Philippines
* 879 Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, West Triangle, Quezon City, 1104 Philippines
P.O. Box 2639 Quezon City : library@nccphilippines.org
! www.nccphilippines.org
( (632) 929 3745 / 925 1797 6 (632) 926 7076

MEMBER CHURCHES
V

Apostolic Catholic Church

Convention of Philippine
Baptist Churches

Episcopal Church in the

Philippines

Iglesia Evangelica
Metodista en Las Islas
Filipinas

Iglesia Filipina
Independiente

Iglesia Unida Ekyumenikal

Lutheran Church in the

Philippines

The Salvation Army

The United Methodist

Church

United Church of Christ in

the Philippines

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
l

Association of Christian
Schools, Colleges and
Universities

Consortium of Christian
Organizations in Rurban
Development

Ecumenical Church
Foundation, Inc.

Kaisahang Buhay
Foundation

Lingap Pangkabataan,
Inc.

Manila Community
Services, Inc.

Philippine Bible Society

Student Christian
Movement of the
Philippines

Union Church of Manila

Statement for International AIDS Candlelighting Memorial and International

Day against Homophobia and Transphobia

On this twin occasion of International AIDS Candlelighting Memorial (IACM) and

International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) on May 17, the
National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) calls us and all to prayer.
We remember those who have died of AIDS. Even as we do we celebrate that
through the years important lessons have been drawn to curb the rise of HIV
transmission and AIDS-related deaths.
The HIV/AIDS & ART Registry of the Department of Health reported that the
combined statistics of homosexual and bisexual contact comprise 68% of the modes
of HIV transmission among children and adolescents from January 1984 to March
2015. This unfortunately has reinforced the misconception among Filipinos that
HIV and AIDS are diseases only of gays, bisexuals, transgender people, and other
males who have sex with males.
At NCCP, we clarify this misconception by recognizing that HIV risk is about risky
behaviors and environments and not about peoples sexual orientation or gender
identity and expression. The prevailing culture of homophobia and transphobia
creates a risky environment that increases vulnerabilty to HIV.
We confess that our faith expressions have contributed to the spread of HIV and of
AIDS by our approach to gender, sex and sexuality. This contributed to homophobia
and transphobia leading to the marginalization and othering of LGBT people. The
result is the stigma and discrimination of LGBT people that in turn force them to live
double lives and nurture chronically negative self-images. This negative self-image
leads to risky behaviour with fatal results. This marginalization creates a disabling
environment that affects gravely the LGBTs uptake of services associated with HIV
and to have the right to lead productive and healthy lives.
In joining these observances we celebrate the 1990 decision of the World Health
Organization to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder. We also celebrate the
efforts of mental health organizations in the country to remove the stigma of mental
illness which has long been associated with diverse
sexualities and to promote the well-being of LGBT people
since then.

Celebrating 50 years of ecumenical obedience and witness

SANGGUNIANG PAMBANSA
NG MGA SIMBAHAN SA PILIPINAS
National Council of Churches in the Philippines
* 879 Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, West Triangle, Quezon City, 1104 Philippines
P.O. Box 2639 Quezon City : library@nccphilippines.org
! www.nccphilippines.org
( (632) 929 3745 / 925 1797 6 (632) 926 7076

MEMBER CHURCHES
V

Apostolic Catholic Church

Convention of Philippine
Baptist Churches

Episcopal Church in the

Philippines

Iglesia Evangelica
Metodista en Las Islas
Filipinas

Iglesia Filipina
Independiente

Iglesia Unida Ekyumenikal

Lutheran Church in the

Philippines

The Salvation Army

The United Methodist

Church

United Church of Christ in

the Philippines

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
l

Association of Christian
Schools, Colleges and
Universities

Consortium of Christian
Organizations in Rurban
Development

Ecumenical Church
Foundation, Inc.

Kaisahang Buhay
Foundation

Lingap Pangkabataan,
Inc.

Manila Community
Services, Inc.

Philippine Bible Society

Student Christian
Movement of the
Philippines

Union Church of Manila

Among our churches we give thanks for the loving ministry extended by the
Salvation Army. We also celebrate the milestone action of the United Church of
Church in the Philippines, who on its 10th Quadrennial Assembly in 2014
unanimously approved Let Grace Be Total a policy on Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals
and Transgender people. We note too with constructive pride the efforts of the
United Methodist Church to encourage open discussions of LGBT issues in their
congregations.
Under our #PreventionNOTCondemnation campaign, we at NCCP commit to
providing a space for clergy , church workers, and lay people to challenge harmful
gender norms to reverse the negative impact on LGBTs. We will continue to
empower LGBT in our churches and communities in making informed decisions
about HIV. We will ensure to make all relevant facts available to develop their
confidence to make or negotiate healthy choices.
We also discern the need to reclaim and reinterpret our traditions and rituals,
scriptures and practices, to liberate our faith from the shackles of ideologies of
exclusion such as patriarchy, homophobia, and transphobia. We commit to conduct
deeper consultations and education on gender, sex, and sexuality within our churches.
We resolve to work tirelessly for communities of compassion, justice, inclusivity and
acceptance where the divine gift of sexuality will be celebrated in all diverse
manifestations of affirmative love. We are motivated by the command of Jesus:
Love one another.

The Most Rev. Ephraim S. Fajutagana
Obispo Maximo XII, IFI and NCCP Chair

Rev. Rex R.B. Reyes, Jr.
General Secretary

May 16, 2015

Celebrating 50 years of ecumenical obedience and witness