First  Filipina receives same-sex fiance visa in Manila, marries long-time partner in the US

WITH the US Supreme Court’s decision last June — effectively ruling that marriage in America isn’t just a union between a man and a woman — gays and lesbians are now free to marry the person they choose, and to petition their spouse to migrate to the United States, through the legal process.
This principle of equal protection in the US Constitution guarantees the right for all Americans to choose whom to love and to marry, regardless of sexual orientation is now a reality  to a Filipino-American lesbian couple, who had to wait over ten years for this seemingly impossible dream to come true.
This is the story of Maria Cecilia “Chela” Limson Gahuman  — the first Filipino lesbian to receive a same-sex fiancé visa from the US Embassy in Manila.
Chela has just exercised her new freedom to marry the woman she loves.
Same-sex marriage may not be  legal in the Philippines, but it is in now allowed in some parts of the United States, thanks to the US Supreme Court.
While living in the Philippines, Chela was petitioned by her US citizen partner Carla Antonio (who serves in the US Navy) for a fiancé visa.
As Troy Espera reported on Balitang America, Chela and Carla endured a long-distance relationship for more than a decade —  it wasn’t easy.
“I was ready to just go back to the Philippines to be with her,” Carla intimated.
“She wanted to quit the US Navy, but I always keep on reminding her [to] just to keep on praying,” Chela said.
But once they learned that they can now be legally wed in America, they immediately filed the fiancé petition.
“I called her right away and told her [that we should] gather all the paperwork,” Carla enthused.
“I was shocked,” Chela said in disbelief.
The visa was approved within three-and-a-half months. Chela got her visa in early December, flew to the US and walked down the aisle with Carla on December  30.
Their same-sex marriage made headlines in the Philippines.
Among gay couples, Noel “Aeinghel” Amaro was the first Filipino to receive a fiancé visa from his petitioner partner,  US service member Robert Cotterman.
Espera further reported that the US Embassy in Manila said in a statement that they are encouraging gay Filipinos with American partners to avail of new visa opportunities for  petitioning fiancés for same-sex marriage.
“If there is someone that you love and you have a real relationship, our advice is [not to] wait,” said Atty. Aurora Vega-Buzon, Chela’s immigration lawyer.
“Gather your documents, talk to an attorney, and lets get that loved one here as soon as we can.”
This ruling has given individuals like Sheila Torretejo (who was once in a heterosexual marriage and now has a son from her ex-husband) the freedom to marry Lucille Alicante, whom Torretejo wants to raise her son and spend the rest of her life with.
But that’s another story, which I will be sharing with you in this column some day.

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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos