Local authorities in Angeles, a city north of Manila in the Philippines, passed a historic law yesterday that bans discrimination against LGBT residents.

'I want Angeles City to be the most sensitive city and local government in the Philippines to gender equality and gay rights,' said Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan in 2011.
With the support of four other city councillors, Mayor Pamintuan passed the Anti Discrimination Ordinance (Prohibiting Any Acts of Discrimination within the City of Angeles on the Basis of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) yesterday, after years of lobbying from local LGBT rights groups including the United Gay Power Movement (UGPM).

In October last year Cebu in the south passed a similar ordinance.

The passing of the law gives LGBT rights campaigners hope that a national Anti-Discrimination Bill, which has stalled in Congress for 13 years, may be passed.

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