In this episode of Agenda, veteran journalist Cito Beltran interviews financial guro Vince Rapisura, founder of the Social Enterprise Development Partnerships (SEDPI), a company providing financial literacy training to overseas Filipino workers. Rapisura delves into the financial inequalities and challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community in the Philippines, a topic often neglected in broader financial discussions. Rapisura addresses the cultural norm of LGBTQIA+ individuals shouldering significant financial responsibilities for their families, often at the expense of their personal life goals. This responsibility, while sometimes voluntarily assumed, can often lead to caregiver fatigue due to the tremendous personal sacrifices involved. He also highlights the issue of overspending by some community members to assert their gender identity, often leading to financial instability. Furthermore, Rapisura points out that while LGBTQIA+ couples face similar financial issues to heterosexual couples, they are not a

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Vince Rapisura is a known financial expert in the country. In 2004, Rapisura established the Social Enterprise Development Partnerships or SEDPI, a company that provides financial literacy trainings to overseas Filipino workers. SEDPI is present in 15 countries worldwide.

Okay, Vince, good morning. Welcome back to the program.

Hi, good morning Sito and happy Pride Month sa ating lahat.

As I read the material and as I listened to the intro, I realized that what we're talking about is inequality or a situation that does not address reality.

And there are issues for LGBT people, issues for single mothers, single fathers, et cetera.

Sabi ko nga, yung mga babae may maternity leave. O paano naman yung lalaki? Mas madali kaming mamatay kesa sa babae. Bakit kami walang leave?

So we all have our problems, but I won't delay it. What are the real problems for the community, for the gay community regarding all of this?

So I categorized them into three buckets, Sito. Mayroon tayong tinatawag kasi ng mga rainbow providers, mayroon mga compelled family caregivers, at tsaka yung itong isa naman ay medyo talagang challenging. Ito yung tinatawag ko ng mga fabulously broke ng mga LGBTQIA plus na community members.

So if I may, itong una natin na rainbow providers, sila yung nagsishoulder ng significant financial responsibilities in the family kasi sila yung sinasabi na hindi ka naman magkakapamilya. So ikaw dapat tulungan mo kami, bilang kami ang iyong pamilya.

And in that regard, ang nangyayari, yung responsibility nila sa kanilang pamilya takes precedence over their life goals na nakakalimutan na nila yung sarili nila and it becomes a source of resentment for them and for the family also in the long run.

Lahat ng hira parang walang yaka, nagpaalipin ako, naging katulong ako, tapos maglalandi ka lang yan.

Q1. You're calling it rainbow because it is the gender identification or colors of the LGBTQ? And because, pasensya ka na sa matanda na ako, so sasabihin, bading ka, bakla ka, tomboy ka, hindi ka mag-aasawa, di magtrabaho ka para sa pamilya mo?

At buksan ang communication lines within the family at ipaalala sa family na may buhay din ang LGBT natin. At dapat...

May karapatang din.

At bibigyan natin sila ng pagkakataon na mamili na bibigay nila ito voluntarily at hindi sila pinapwersa. So yan yung unang category, the rainbow providers.

Next naman, ito yung compelled family caregivers. So ito yung mga primary providers ng care and support sa mga family members for the same reason, dahil nga hindi ka magpapamilya at wala ka namang trabaho ngayon or huwag ka nang magtrabaho, alagaan mo na lang si mama or papa or alagaan ng mga kapatin.

So the role is not chosen by the LGBT person but it is assigned based on cultural norms or familial expectations. Itong role na ito can be rewarding kung pinili talaga ng tao, ng LGBT na gusto niyang gawin ito but it can also result to what we call caregiver fatigue because of the tremendous personal sacrifice that they have to give to be able to fulfill this role.

So may mga iba na nagre-resign sa trabaho o kaya hindi nagpapatuloy sa kanilang pag-aaral kasi kailangan nga may mag-alaga sa pamilya. So yan yung pangalawang category.

Yung pangatlong category naman natin ito yung tinatawag ko na fabulously broke. Ito yung mga kailangan nilang i-express ang kanilang gender identity at i-assert yun because they feel that they're not being recognized in the community.

So kailangan din i-watch out ito ng mga nasa LGBTQIA plus na community.

So that's already part of the discussions, their problems, and they seem to have the same set of problems like everybody else. Couples, one is the breadwinner and the other one is the guilt-ridden partner. Kasi parang I'm not contributing, I want to contribute pero mas malaki ang kita niya, etc.

It's not just them. Parang hello, paano naman yung nanay ko, tatay ko, alagaan din natin. So what are your suggestions?

Kasi walang basis sa batas ang discrimination for gender. Tapos maganda rin sana magkaroon ng legal recognition rights. Kasi for example may mga kakilala tayo na mga couples, lesbian couples or gay couples, nag-adopt sila pero they're not given the proper adoption rights.

Hindi rin sila nabibigyan ng property rights as in the case of developed countries sa civil unions nila. So at the government level, marami siyang pwedeng gawin in terms of legal protection at equal rights for the community.

In the primer that I got, even SSS, pag PhilHealth, you cannot fall under as a dependent.

At sa community level, we could actually become an ally to the LGBTQIA plus community and advocate for equal rights and report discrimination if this happens.

Sa family level naman ay maganda na buksan natin ang ating communication lines for understanding and acceptance ng mga family members natin who are in this community.

At talaga dito talaga ay magkaroon tayo ng shared financial planning para talagang leveled off yung expectations. Hindi na siya shortchange ang mga lesbians, ang mga gays, ang mga transsexuals, at hindi rin naman nakakalimutan yung responsibilities and obligations within the family.

At maganda rin po na supportahan natin yung mga career or edukasyon ng ating mga anak kung tayo ay mayroong LGBT na mga anak kasi kadalasan ay naisasantabi or nagiging second priority sila at yung mga non-LGBT yung nabibigyan ng priorities.

So at the personal level at ito yung may kaya talagang baguhin ng LGBT mismo is of course to improve their financial literacy level. At this level dapat ay re-recognize nila at napagpaplanuhan ang mga life goals nila at ito ay nakocommunicate within the family para talagang mayroong buy-in within the family at magtutulungan for those life goals.

Tapos kagawa ng desisyon whether tayo ba talaga ay up to what limit yung kaya natin ang roles natin bilang carer or provider sa ating family kasi mahirap po na aakuhin natin lahat yung responsibilidad na yan sa family natin.

At yung lagi ko sinasabi dyan is if you love and accept yourself di mo kasi kailangang patunayan yung sarili mo sa ibang tao at usually kapag pinapatunayan mo yung sarili mo sa ibang tao diyan tayo napapagastos, diyan napaparami yung mga expenses natin.

So what does the community do para yung kapartner mo magiging beneficiary mo?

So if you're in an LGBT relationship, pwede mo siyang ilagay. Kapag naman sa properties, common properties, ang ginagawa usually mas maganda na sa property ay ilalagay natin yung pangalan nating dalawa doon sa title o for example kung land title yan.

Pero ang disadvantage nito dahil walang legal protection, kapag namatay yung isang partner ay hindi yan automatic na may claim yung partner mo doon sa share mo. Kasi hindi ka compulsory heir. Mapupunta yan doon sa family members ng partner mo.

Pero pwede ba yan in the title that the partners are reflected as owners? Do you have to have a registered business before you can put it in the title?

So magiging ilagay yung pangalan nyo doon sa title o for SSS etc. kanya-kanya pa rin. PhilHealth kanya-kanya pa rin.

So coming up with solutions sa mga problema sa society pero hindi sila recognized ng state at hindi sila nabibigyan ng social service for that.

Salamat din sito and have a good day.