Araneta City brings back campaign of different hues
‘Free To Be HUE’ commits to creating spaces where LGBTIQ+ individuals and allies can feel seen, respected and free to be themselves.
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Daily Tribune‘Free To Be HUE’ commits to creating spaces where LGBTIQ+ individuals and allies can feel seen, respected and free to be themselves.
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THE aRUNeta Run Club will hold its Pride Run on Juane.
PHOTOGRAPHS courtesy of Araneta City
ARANETA City, the Quezon City Gender and Development Council and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte (middle) officially signs this year’s partnership for the LGBTIQ+ Pride campaign Free to be HUE.
PHOTOGRAPHS courtesy of Araneta City
A PRIDE bazaar will be set up at Farmers Plaza.
PHOTOGRAPHS courtesy of Araneta City
This June, Araneta City is bringing back its LGBTIQ+ Pride Month campaign, Free To Be HUE, promising a month-long celebration of identity, community and self-expression with art, conversations and community events across the commercial district in Cubao, Quezon City.
The campaign, symbolized by a colorful pinwheel, seeks to reflect the many identities and experiences within the LGBTIQ+ community while underscoring Araneta City’s aim to make its public spaces more welcoming and inclusive.
“This Pride Month, Araneta City celebrates the freedom to live authentically and express oneself without fear or judgment,” said Marjorie Go, vice president for Marketing of Araneta City. “Through ‘Free To Be HUE,’ we honor the many identities, stories, and experiences within the LGBTQIA+ community while continuing to foster spaces where everyone feels welcome and respected.”
The celebration opens on 2 June with the unveiling of the Free To Be HUE mural outside the New Frontier Theater along General Roxas Avenue. Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and representatives of LGBTIQ+ organizations are expected to join the ceremony and help paint the mural’s final touches.
Conceived as a public artwork for Pride, the mural is meant to serve as a visual reminder that visitors to Araneta City are welcome to express themselves freely and without judgment.
On 7 June, the aRUNeta Run Club will hold its Pride Run at the Green Gate of Smart Araneta Coliseum. Participants are encouraged to wear colors that represent them and bring pride flags. Face painting will also be available during the event. The run will also carry a public health component. In partnership with the Quezon City Health Department, free HIV self-test kits and on-site screening services will be made available to participants. Candidates of Binibining Pilipinas 2026 are also set to join the run as allies.
Movement and performance will take the spotlight on 9 June through the Quezon City Pride Dance Competition at Farmers Plaza. The event will give LGBTIQ+ performers a platform to share their stories through dance and celebrate identity through creative expression.
On 11 June, Gateway 2’s Quantum Skyview will host the Inclusive Graduation Rights, a special graduation ceremony honoring students who were previously denied the opportunity to march because of their SOGIESC, or sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics.
The activity supports efforts to promote gender-responsive and inclusive graduation rites, in line with the Department of Education’s Gender-Responsive Basic Education Policy and Quezon City’s continuing work toward more affirming spaces for young people.
Also on 11 June, World Kitchens at Gateway Mall 2 will offer an LGBTIQ+ Pride Month promo, with diners getting one free snack for every mocktail purchase. The offer is open to all diners and will also serve as a treat for the “rainbow graduates” taking part in the graduation rites.
The campaign will also include a Safe Space Session on 18 June at Ali Mall for Araneta City lessees and staff. With resource speakers from the Quezon City Gender and Development Council, the session will focus on creating more respectful and welcoming environments for LGBTQIA+ mallgoers and communities.
From 26 to 28 June, Farmers Plaza will host a Pride Bazaar in partnership with the Quezon City Small Business and Cooperatives Development and Promotions Office. The bazaar will feature LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs and local businesses offering food, crafts, trinkets, and other products.
One of the campaign’s major events will be LoveLaban sa Araneta on 27 June, organized in partnership with Pride PH. The event will feature performances by LGBTIQ+ talents, including drag performers, and will bring the spirit of LoveLaban closer to Araneta City’s visitors. This will be the second year that Araneta City will host a separate LoveLaban event, apart from other LoveLaban activities held across Quezon City.
Go said the campaign is meant to go beyond a single month of celebration.
“Pride Month is a celebration of identity, community, and the freedom to be yourself,” she said. “At Araneta City, we believe inclusion goes beyond Pride Month and should be practiced every day through the spaces we create and the experiences we share. We remain committed to making the City of Firsts a place where everyone feels welcome, valued, and empowered to express themselves freely.”
