This work has not been peer reviewed by the University of the Philippines Rainbow Research Hub or its project members. The views expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Hub or its project members.
2026 Philippine Queer Studies Conference
POSTER PRESENTATION
Kwentuhan as deliberative design: Reflections on designing community deliberations on anti-discrimination ordinance for LGBTQ+ citizens in the Philippines
Holden Kenneth G. Alcazaren and Charles Erize P. Ladia
How can kwentuhan [Filipino talk story; Gutierrez et al., 2023] become a method/design strategy that can foster a safe and equal environment for deliberators and facilitators in a highly contested topic like the Anti-Discrimination Ordinance (ADO) for the LGBTQ+ community? More than 30 local government units (i.e., cities, municipalities, and provinces) in the Philippines have already passed an ADO to institute protective mechanisms and infrastructures for the LGBTQ+ community against discrimination based on their Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC). However, this policy progress did not reach Makati City, one of the most urbanized cities in the country, despite the presence of annual Pride celebrations (e.g., “Spread the Love!”) and an active LGBTQ+ organization (i.e., GLAM – Gays and Lesbians Association of Makati). Evidently, policies for the protection of the LGBTQ+ community (e.g., SOGIESC Equality Bill) may still be polarizing especially for a conservative country like the Philippines. Therefore, designing a deliberative forum on the relevance and urgency of an ADO may be a grueling task especially for community members of Makati City. Conducting a deliberative forum on this particular issue titled “Kwentuhan tungkol sa Pagtanggap, Pag-unawa, at Pagkakapantay-pantay para sa LGBTQ+ sa Lungsod ng Makati,” this paper reflects on the following questions: What challenges were experienced in designing and conducting a deliberative forum for Anti-Discrimination Ordinance in Makati City? How did kwentuhan serve as a deliberative design strategy in ensuring that deliberators and facilitators feel safe with sharing their opinions with other community members?
Deliberative forums are designed for participants to discuss and debate on particular issues, and decide on the best solution for their community. Using ethnographic observations and participant reflections, we reflected on how kwentuhan, as a Filipino communicative custom, effectively worked as the design framework in the conduct of the forum but also as a resistance against gendered structures in Western types of deliberation. For a polarizing issue like the ADO, these forums tend to be conflicting and high tension, which threatens especially the more marginalized sectors. From recruitment to votation, there were several challenges posed including the lack of heterosexual male voices, crucial turn taking in sharing opinions, and struggles in creating a consistent safe space, especially for LGBTQ+ participants. With these in mind, several strategies were adopted including building trust during participant recruitment, creating short-form TikTok learning materials, asking fun questions during opinion sharing, and ensuring their emotional wellness as part of the program. Guide questions during the deliberative forum were also designed for participants to share personal stories.
Deliberative democracy has yet to fully account for the role of gender and sexuality in deliberative forums, especially of the LGBTQ+ population which remains a marginalized sector in the Philippines. Kwentuhan as a deliberative strategy grounded itself in the virtues of community, communication, and conversation. By giving participants equal chances to speak and share their thoughts, this may question existing gendered structures outside the forum. Finally, putting gender and sexuality at front and center in deliberative design may inform deliberative democracy scholars of existing ways to uphold equality and ensure participation in other highly polarized deliberative forums.
