Intersex Philippines, Inc. (IXPI), the pioneering organization for intersex people in the Philippines, elected its new set of officers, helmed by Jeff B. Cagandahan, the re-elected chairperson, who stressed the need for better representation to mainstream the issues of intersex Filipinos.
Cagandahan himself successfully sued to be allowed to legally change his name as well as sex and gender markers in legal documents, with the Supreme Court of the Philippines siding with him in 2008. But this remedy continues to be “elusive for many intersex people,” said Cagandahan, and this stresses how “even if there may be legal remedies that could help us, we are still unable to make use of these.”
The newly-elected officers, therefore, eye to focus on “pushing for the legal gender recognition of intersex people”, and for the “change of gender markers be done through simple administrative process.”
Other immediate concerns the new set of officers wants to focus on include: collaborating with the Department of Health to ensure that all professionals and healthcare provider are adequately trained to provide quality intersex-related services; and finding ways to make medicines accessible to intersex people.
PHOTO BY ARTHUR ABAD NWABIA
With Cagandahan, also elected as part of the Executive Board (2023-2025) were: Dana Mae Padre (secretary), Liezel Callueng (treasurer), Charm Ison, and Rodela Pojas.
