LGBT Filipinos Are Free to Join Philippine Army As Long As They ‘Behave Properly’

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is encouraging Filipinos from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community to volunteer in the military service as it seeks to beef up their ranks with 10,000 new recruits this year.

The AFP promises that there will be no discrimination against LGBT recruits who aim to become Philippine soldiers, sailors, airmen, or marines, ABS-CBN reported.

According to AFP chief of public affairs Colonel Edgard Arevalo, the government’s invitation is open to any gender as long as they “behave properly.”

“The AFP is not going to discriminate against them (LGBT). Malaya po silang makapag-apply at pumasok sa Armed Forces (They are free to apply and enlist in the Armed Forces),” Arevalo said.

“But we have one recommendation: The moment that they apply and get accepted in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, we are reminding them that they need to act and behave with dignity and with proper care to the uniform. Because AFP is a uniformed service. It is a noble profession of arms,” he added in Filipino and translated in English.

Arevalo also stated some provisions in the military law that defined good conduct and stressed that anyone, regardless of his or her sexual orientation, is welcome as long as all the application requirements are fulfilled.

However, after expressing his belief that the LGBT community would be great contributors to the Armed Forces, he repeated his warnings about the need for military discipline under the articles of war without explaining the need to keep issuing the said warnings.

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