With a theme #SulongWagPatinag, Metro Manila Pride 2020 stepped up its game as a celebration and protest calling for equal rights and impartiality towards the LGBTQIA+ community, uniting attendees despite the distance in the digital realm via Facebook live, yesterday, June 27.

 

Opening with awareness

Commencing the protest’s program of activities is Pride Speaks Hangouts 02: Tuloy Ang Laban Para Sa SOGIE Equality, a discussion group emphasizing the high importance and urgent need for Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) protections in the Philippines through the passing and pushing forth of local and national laws to put an end to discrimination and protect their rights via Zoom and Facebook live.

 

Facilitated by former UP Babaylan President Pat Fabrigas, situations of the LGBTQIA+ community’s rights were discussed; reasons for the profound need to pass the SOGIE Bill were presented, and what can the community and its allies do to hasten for the legislation of ordinances and laws that provide SOGIESC protections were given response.

 

Atty. Claire De Leon, Secretary General of Lagablab Network, and Pastor Jason Masaganda of Metropolitan Community Church Marikina served as resource persons to deepen the said discussion.

 

Atty. De Leon presented the two decades of fighting discrimination, stating that despite the long fight, acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ community and necessity of the SOGIE Equality Bill is still questionable as discrimination remains in the society.

 

“Nakakalungkot na iniisip nila na this bill would take away rights from heterosexuals or cis-gender persons. But when we talk about rights, protecting [the] rights of a marginalized sector does not take away rights of another. If you think that allowing a sector to exercise their rights would take away the rights of others we must rethink how we see (and understand) rights,” she highlighted, pointing out that rights should not be taken as a limited resource but rather a given for everyone. Furthermore, she also added that the LGBTQIA+ community is prone and most vulnerable to harassment, violence, and discrimination, which raises the utmost need of passing the said bill.

 

Atty. De Leon concluded that as long as discrimination on the basis of SOGIE persists, the need for a law that would protect the LGBTQIA+ community still stands given their vulnerability to society.

 

“When we talk about the SOGIE Equality Bill, often people focus on the word SOGIE. But this bill is not trying to legislate SOGIE—we cannot legislate identity. This bill seeks to ensure that our sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression will not be means to restrict us from accessing the rights that everyone is supposed to have access (to),” she emphasized.

 

Moreover, Pastor Masaganda shared his experiences as one of the initiatives of the passage of the Marikina Anti-Discrimination Ordinance (ADO) as well as the challenges he has faced in passing such ordinance, such as the doubt of the community with its effectiveness and usage, particularly the elderly. He mentioned and highlighted the organizations which lobbied, sponsored, and approved for the ADO, which paved the way for the prosperous estimate of over 22 LGBTQ organizations in the city.

 

Marikina has been known to be one of the supporters of SOGIE anti-discrimination policies as they signed the ordinance last year and served as hosts of this event for three years under Marikina City Mayor Marcy Teodoro.

 

The Pride Speaks Hangout was followed by a Question and Answer session which gave an in-depth to other points of the session. According to the panel, which includes the two aforementioned speakers and Atty. Eljay Bernardo, SOGIE bill is still in the committee level in both houses and on its second hearing and clarified that the bill is “not a legal recognition but rather protection against discrimination.”

 

Atty. De Leon also shed light on the recent issue to #FreePride20, where 20 individuals were forcefully and illegally arrested by the police despite peaceful and proper measures, pointing out that the recently passed Anti-Terror Bill may have no direct effect on the SOGIE Equality Bill, but its dangers and threats are felt by the community.

 

“The incident yesterday highlighted the vulnerability of the LGBTQ community to harassment, violence, and other forms of human rights violation. For us [LGBTQIA+ Community], activism is our only way of asserting our narratives. This can further render us voiceless,” she stated.

 

To combat these vulnerabilities and increase awareness, Pastor Masaganda and Atty. Bernardo emphasized that hoping and waiting for justice is not enough, one must do their part. They encouraged the community to let themselves be heard not only on the ground but also online by maximizing the influence of media through documentation, referral and support system, educating the private and public sector.

 

Raising the flag high, keeping the fire burning

After Pride Speaks Hangout, TAG YOUR FLAG online march filled up the digital feed with the presence of the community and its allies calling for the rights and advocacies. Photos with rainbow flag or placard are posted with #SulongWagPatinag.

 

The evening program live streamed at 7:30 PM was sectioned into three parts. A solidarity donation drive to pandemic response, PWDs, bailing the Pride 20, and others was also done alongside the festival where viewers can have access to who or where to donate for the cause they prefer. Filipino Sign Language interpreters are also present to make the festival celebration inclusive and accessible.

 

Kabataan Partylist Representative Sarah Elago, the first keynote speaker, tackled each pressing issues the country is facing today: from healthcare, hunger, poverty, and social welfare to inequality, abuse, and discrimination.

 

“Ito ang protesta. Ang Pride ay protesta. Hindi lang dahil ito ang nakatala sa kasaysayan, kung ‘di dahil ito ang kasaysayan na isunulat, iginuhit, ipinanday, at ipinaglaban ng mga nauna sa atin. […] Ang ating mga batayang karapatan ay hindi isang suntok sa buwan kundi bahagi ng ating katauhan,” Elago stated.

 

Not long after, Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo gave a speech as the second keynote speaker, assuring that they are not alone in fighting against oppression and stigma placed in society.

 

“Iba man ang plataporma ngayong taon, hindi nagbabago ang ating panawagan: isang lipunang walang iniiwan at tinatalikuran ano man ang kasarian, kulay o estado sa buhay. Birtwal man ang pagtitipon, hindi nababawasan ang kabuluhan ng pagdiriwang. Bagkus, mas lumalakas lang ang ating tinig at tumitibay pa ang paninindigan,” Robredo pointed out.

 

Furthermore, she commended the bravery of the community and encouraged the audience to continue in fighting for their rights, for every march organized is a life saved.

 

“Sa pagbuo ng isang bago at makatarungang mundo, ‘wag sana kayong panghinaan ng loob. Patuloy na makiisa, makilahok, at ‘wag magsawang rumampa. […] Dahil ang laban niyo ay laban din namin, and we will carry your trust with pride,” Robredo concluded.

 

Solidarity messages from different clusters are also presented in between performances. The messages centered on struggles faced by the LGBTQIA+ community, support of the fight for equal rights, battle against stereotypes and discrimination, and a reminder they will continue to fight for their rights.

 

The following clusters, together with the specific organizations enclosed, are as follows:

Peer Support Cluster:

• Team Iloilo Pride and Youth Voice Count
• Pioneer Filipino Transgender Men Movement (PFTM)

HIV and AIDS Cluster:

• Red Whistle and Yoga for Life
• TLF Share

Student and Youth Cluster:

• United Diwata Familia
• LPU Manila Central Student Government
• Young Filipino Advocates of Critical Thinking
• Tiger Committee
• Millennials PH
• PUP Kasarianlan
• Montegrande Empire Organization
• Akbayan Youth
• PANTAY – Philippine Anti-Discrimination Alliance of Youth Leaders
• UP Babaylan
• Benilde Hive (BHive)
• PLM Propaganda
• UP One’s True Nature
• UP Alyansa ng Mga Mag-aaral Para sa Panlipunang Katwiran at Kaunlaran
• LPU Young Filipino Advocates of Critical Thinking (yFACT LPU)
• LPU KALAYAAN

Workplace Diversity Cluster:

• Be Glad
• LGBT Chamber
• Kapuwa Bistro

Faith and Religion Cluster:

• Kaduwa Movement
• Luntiang Aghama
• Open Table MCC

Arts and Culture Cluster:

• Panday Sining

Human Rights Cluster:

• Rainbow Rights Philippines
• Dakila
• HAPI
• UP OUTlaws
• Filipino Freethinkers

Grassroots Cluster:

• Bahaghari

Special Cluster:

• Mental Health PH
• Pinoy Deaf Rainbow
• Save Our Schools Network (Kabataang Lumad)

 

A star-studded gathering

Prominent personalities such as Alex Diaz, Gabbi Garcia, Janine Gutierrez, Ria Atayde, Kathryn Bernardo, Maris Racal, Kakie Pangilinan, fashion and celebrity photographer BJ Pascual, and Canada’s Drag Race Season 1 drag queen Kyne showed their support by their video greetings presented along the online festival.

 

Drag performances by Jonna Kween, Minty Fresh, Marina Summers, Eva La Queen, Vinas Libra, Aries Night, Precious Paula Nicole, Andy Crocker, Mrs. Tan, Jaja, Crystal Methyd, Ongina, Petticoat Lane’s Queens Miss Tina Uglyhaira, Gigi Reyes, and Violette Blanche, Drag Race Thailand’s Mocha Diva, Lili Addams, Captivating Katkat, and Obar Diva’s Bench; and spoken word acts by Juan Miguel Severo, Alfonso Manalastas, Mirick Paala, and Louise Meets hyped and empowered the crowd as they entertained the crowd with a message.

 

Furthermore, Ian Bencio David, Matthew Chang, Matti Kawpeng, House of Mizrahi, Addlib Divas, Pixie and Erin, Thirds, Zsaris, Lance Reblando, Pinopela, and Ja Quintana brought the festival to life with their singing and dancing acts. Some performances have to be removed or cutted to prevent Facebook’s copyright removal.

 

The program’s organizer, Metro Manila Pride, is a volunteer-based and non-profit organization in Metro Manila.

 

Donations for the Free Pride 20 Solidarity drive are still on-going and can be transferred to these accounts:

• Clarice Adriene Pan (BDO; 00757-0181-082)
• Daniel Joseph Tan (GCash; 09212969784)