Bataan has joined the still few local government units (LGUs) in the Philippines that now has an anti-discrimination ordinance (ADO) that prohibits the discrimination of people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression (SOGIE). The ordinance – authored by Jomar L. Gaza; and sponsored by Maria Kristine G. dela Fuente – was actually approved in October by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Bataan; though it was only recently signed by Provincial Governor Albert S. Garcia. The signed Ordinance No. 16, Series of 2021 was only circulated this January 2022. Via a Facebook post, Rep. Geraldine Roman, the first transgender Filipino elected into Congress to represent the First District of Bataan, stated that this development should serve as a challenge for Congress to already pass a law promoting the human rights of all LGBTQIA Filipinos.