Philippine military to welcome first transgender officer

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Thursday that transgender Bataan Representative Geraldine Roman is going to "welcome addition" to the military if she pursues her intention to be part of the army's reserve force.

"In taking in applicants to the AFP, whether in regular or reservist force, we do not discriminate with respect to gender. Our gender and development program guarantees that," said AFP public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo.

Arevalo said Roman recently approached the office of the AFP deputy chief of staff for reservist and retiree affairs to express her intention to join the reserve force "but with regard to physical application form, there's none yet."

On Wednesday, Roman said she will be applying to become a military officer in the Armed Forces reserve force. She will be the first transgender in the military if she files her application and it's subsequently approved.

On the uniform that Roman will be wearing, Arevalo said court has already approved Roman's petition to change her gender to female. However, Arevalo could not immediately say if Roman's birth certificate, one of the requirements in the application, already bears her new gender.

"If her birth certificate already bears (her gender as a female), then we will so allow her. Asking her to wear a male uniform when she is already transformed into a woman will put her to ridicule and we do not want that to happen in the Armed Forces," he said.

On the possibility that Roman would join the reserve force of the Marines, Arevalo said: "Why not?" Arevalo is a member of the Marines.

"She is a solon, a lawmaker, public official who want to join the reservist force and help the military in another way," said Arevalo.

Roman will be a lieutenant colonel in the Army, Air Force or Marines of or commander in the Navy if her application is approved. Endit