A rousing welcome for LGBTIQ+ Pride Month
Around 8,000 people trooped to ‘LoveYourself Pride Night: Express Yourself’ to usher in LGBTIQ+ Pride Month and to continue the call for acceptance and recognition of their human rights.
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Around 8,000 people trooped to ‘LoveYourself Pride Night: Express Yourself’ to usher in LGBTIQ+ Pride Month and to continue the call for acceptance and recognition of their human rights.
Miss Universe Philippines 2025 queens, led by Miss Universe Philippines 2025 Ahtisa Manalo, expressed solidarity with the LGBTIQ+ community.
'Drag Race Philippines' Season 2 winner Captivating Katkat.
'Drag Race Philippines' Season 2 contestant M1ss Jade So delivering a sexy performance.
'Drag Race Philippines' Season 3 finalist Angel Galang giving trans energy.
'Drag Race Philippines' Season 1 contestant Corazon.
Attendees having fun posing for pictures at one of the colorful booths.
Drag queen Gorgeous Dawn performing Taylor Swift.
PhotographS by roel hoang manipon for the daily tribune Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, who is a LoveYourself ambassador and an LGBTIQ+ ally, waved the Pride flag and led in the countdown to LGBTIQ+ Pride Month.
LGBTIQ+ Pride Month was welcomed with a blast of colors, an exuberance of dance and music, fire of activism and warmth of love with “LoveYourself Pride Night: Express Yourself,” which was attended by about 8,000 people, according to organizer, LoveYourself, Inc., a nongovernment organization dedicated to AIDS/HIV awareness and treatments, LGBTIQ+ health, and human rights for the LGBTIQ+ community.
Lasting from 4 p.m. to 12 midnight, the event was held on 31 May at the open grounds of Bridgetowne Destination Estate in Pasig City, where numerous LGBTIQ+ businesses and supportive companies set up booths to offer their products as well as hold different activities. It also featured a freedom wall for attendees to express themselves, chalk art making and photo booths. The main feature was the messages from different personalities and the string of performances.
Dr. Ronivin Pagtakhan, LoveYourself founder and executive director, welcomed attendees, saying, “Tonight is more than just a celebration. It’s living, breathing proof of how far we have come as a community.”
“What started with a dream, a small safe space for love, healing and hope has grown into this grand movement that will be used to save lives and transform hearts,” he continued.
Pagtakhan mentioned the progress of LoveYourself, which is now operating 72 clinics across the nation, conducting almost 300,000 free HIV testing every day, providing almost 26,000 clients with free pre-exposure prophylaxis, helping about 18,000 people living with HIV with treatments and engaging prominent personalities to be ambassadors for its awareness campaigns.
He also said that the occasion is a way to reclaim words used to insult queer persons such as bakla and tomboy.
“Bakla means great. Tomboy means unstoppable. And when you’re bakla and you’re tomboy, you’re fruity. It means fabulous, fearless, and full of joy. So be proud of your story. Be proud of your color. Be proud of your community. This is our moment. This is our family. This is our pride,” he said. “Happy Pride, everyone. Let’s love louder, live freer, and keep creating a world where everyone belongs. Together, let’s stay strong, stay kind, and stay beautifully and unapologetically you.”
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“We are not just here to be visible. We are here to be victorious, to turn every whisper of doubt into a roar of pride, and to remind the world that love — especially self-love — will always lead the way,” Pagtakhan ended.
Representatives from PANTAY, Metro Manila Pride, Philippine Financial and Inter-Industry Pride (PFIP), and the Pasig City Gender and Development Office shared their messages of solidarity.
“More than a moment to celebrate, it is a time to reflect on the dreams of the LGBTQ+ community, our victories, our challenges, and our ongoing fight for visibility, dignity and equality. Pride is a reminder that love is powerful, our identities are valid, and that no one should have to walk alone,” said PFIP chairperson Angelo Camaya.
He further said: “At PFIP, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are not optional. They are essential and should be part of each organization’s priorities. We are committed to building workplaces and communities where LGBTQ+ individuals can thrive without fear and limitations. That means standing up, speaking out, and showing up especially when it matters most. So to everyone here tonight, to our LGBTQ+ friends, families, and allies, know this: You are valid, you are powerful, and you are not alone.”
“Since 1990s…we’ve celebrated Pride. There’s the 1992 march of the Lesbian Collective at the Women’s March. In 1993, UP Babaylan participated in the Lantern Parade. 1994, mga kasama natin sa ProGay, nag-martsa para sa karapatang pantao. And in 1996, ‘yung Task Force Pride, one of mga ancestors or mga predecessors of Pride organizers celebrated one of the first Metro Manila Pride marches,” PANTAY National Convener Vince Liban explained. “Alam po ninyo, we celebrate and we protest for Pride not only for the visibility of our community, not only for the recognition that our community has been contributing to national development, but also because there are many challenges that our community have been facing ever since.”
He also said, “I realize na ‘yung mga kalaban natin, the enemies of equality, do not just fear the LGBTIQ+ community. They also fear us being happy. They fear us when we are at our happiest. They fear us when we are at our most joyful. And all around the world, queer advocates have realized na itong pinanghahawakan natin na queer joy ay isa sa mga pinaka-epektibong panglaban natin para magpatuloy.”
“You see, finding humor, finding joy against these adversities is, I think, one of the bravest things that we as a community can do. Queer joy is not just resilience. Queer joy is also resistance,” Liban emphasized.
He also said that there is a growing support for the LGBTIQ+ community and he hoped to see support for the passing of the SOGIESC Equality Bill, an anti-discrimination law that the community is pushing for the more than two decades now.
This bill was also mentioned by Percival “Perci” Vilar Cendaña, who also graced the “Pride Night” stage. Cendaña broke grounds last year as a pioneering lawmaker to advocate for the LGBTIQ+ community in the House of the Representatives, even though he ran under the multi-sectoral Akbayan party-list group. He will continue to serve as a congressman as the group garnered the highest number of votes among party-list groups during the recently concluded mid-term elections.
Celebrity couple Ice Seguerra and Liza Diño-Seguerra also attended and shared their love story. Also gracing the stage were actor Inah Evans; the cast of the television series Love at First Spike, led by Emilio Daez; the cast of third season of the reality series of Sparks Camp; the cast of the musical Dalaga na si Maxie Oliveros: A Drag Musical Extravaganza!; Mister Gay World Philippines 2025 contestants; and Miss Universe Philippines 2025 winners Ahtisa Manalo, Gabriella Carballo, Chelsea Fernandez, Maria Katrina Llegado, Winwyn Marquez, and Yllana Aduana.
Like in other LoveYourself events, Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, who is also a LoveYourself ambassador, made a special appearance and waved the rainbow flag.
Video messages of Senator Risa Hontiveros, who has been a long-time champion of the queer community; newly-elected senator Bam Aquino; and Leila de Lima, newly elected congresswoman from the Mamamayang Liberal party-list group, were shown to loud cheering. They are known for their allyship and enjoy robust support from the LGBTIQ+ community.
Hosted by Pipay, Baus Rufo, Peachy Roberts, Miss Deliciousness, Poca, and Miss Wanda, the program brought out queer joy and consisted prominently of drag performances, a queer creative expression that has been gaining popularity.
Drag performers included Raven Heyres, Salmo Nella, Corazon, Gorgeous Dawn, Sexy Wanda Mina, Winter Sheason Nicole, Khianna With A K, Myx Chanel, Matilduh, Manza, Mimi the Doll, Avang Lingkod, Ca Lei Minzy, Ghulli Ghush, Judith, Amazing Chalita, Captivating Katkat, M1ss Jade So, Bernie, OV Cünt, Arizona Brandy, Popstar Bench, Hana Beshie, Zymba Ding and Angel Galang.
Drag groups also performed such as the LoveYourself Queens, Temptation Queens, Royalties, 2NE2, and Harong Queens, a group of drag performers advocating for human rights and speaking out on different social issues, including Pura Luka Vega and Maria Cristina.
House of Empress, Alab Poi Dancers, Femme MNL, John Mark Saga, Makki Lucino, and Rhap Salazar also entertained the crowds, who stayed on despite a short but heavy downpour.
At midnight, Wurtzbach led the crowd in a countdown to welcome the first day of LGBTIQ+ Pride Month, marked by a fireworks display.
