DAVAO CITY — The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has initially opened 15 gender-neutral toilets of the country’s 42 commercial airports.
A gender-neutral public toilets, are also called gender-inclusive, gender neutral and mixed-sex or all-gender toilets. It means a public toilet that are not separated by gender or sex.
In a statement posted on their Facebook page, CAAP revealed they already opened gender-neutral restrooms in Iloilo, Bacolod, Roxas, Laoag, Legazpi, Naga, Virac, Busuanga, Laguindingan, Dipolog, Butuan, San Jose, Basco, Marinduque, and Tandag.
Providing a gender-neutral toilets at the airports took place years before a transgender woman cried discrimination at a shopping mall restroom earlier this month which resulted to a public debate about the issue.
The statement added “Constructing gender neutral restrooms is a step towards gender awareness development and protection of the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.”
Reports have it, the CAAP allocated P400 million for its Gender and Development (GAD) program, which will include diaper-changing and breastfeeding rooms.
The initiative to provide gender-neutral restrooms in airports started in 2015. “The design would depend per airport, but usually (the restrooms) are designed as a separate building,” the statement added.
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Every gender-neutral restroom has four separate rooms: for female, male, persons with disabilities, and gender-neutral.
The idea of establishing a gender-neutral restrooms came after LBBTQ attendees of a CAAP-organized gender sensitivity forum shared feeling of discrimination whenever they use restrooms.
