A bill seeking to allow same-sex couples to enter into civil unions has been filed at the Philippine Senate, the first step toward legislating a proposal that has faced opposition in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation. The measure proposes to give same-sex couples the right to obtain a valid license for a civil union and to be afforded inheritance and adoption rights. The bill was put forward by neophyte Senator Robin Padilla, an action star who topped the recent senatorial race. Still, public sentiment for same-sex civil unions has been negative, with a 2018 Social Weather Stations survey showing 61 percent of Filipinos opposing the proposal. President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has said during the campaign that he supports moves to fight discrimination against LGBTQ individuals.