Cagayan de Oro City Hall through their City Gender and Development (GAD) Focal Point System represented the country in a learning tour held on Monday, Sept. 16 at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands.

 

City GAD Focal Point System Project Development Officer Remy Labiano and City GAD Focal Point System member and Job Placement Bureau (JPB) – Public Employment Services Office (PESO) Manager, Kathleen Kate ‘Kitkat’ Sorilla, represented City GAD Co-chairperson Sheila Lumbatan and were joined by Chedilyn Aissa Duilguime, acting chief of the City Planning and Development Office.

 

The Mujer-LGBT organization was also present.

 

The city officials were welcomed by Dutch Ministry for Human Rights Ambassador Wim Geerts, along with personnel Anne-Roos Wasser and Joep Kies.

 

Their visit resulted in an exchange of ideas and best practices between Cagayan de Oro City Hall and the Netherlands.

 

Cagayan de Oro is a recipient of various capacity development trainings and initiatives offered through the Yayasan Hivos’ Free to Be Me Program, a Dutch-funded rights organization supported by the Dutch government.

 

This program is implemented in the city through Free To Be Me and Mindanao Pride, which led to the city’s invitation to the learning tour.

 

The tour showcases the Dutch government’s approaches, particularly their legal framework and policies that protect and promote the rights of LGBTIQ+ individuals, including anti-discrimination laws, healthcare access, and marriage equality.

 

Cagayan de Oro City Hall under Mayor Rolando ‘Klarex’ Uy’s administration supports LGBTIQ+ rights advocacy. (NLB/CIO/photos courtesy of Mujer-LGBT organization)