Philippine Pride Event Draws Biggest Crowd Yet

              The Philippines again made history by drawing the largest attendance in a Pride event in Asia despite experiencing unfavorable weather and other setbacks. The events in celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride Month on 22 and 30 June gathered a cumulative total of 228,000 attendees, according to organizers, including those who attended the main event in Quezon City, Love Laban 2 Everyone: Pride PH Festival 2024, and simultaneous Pride events in different parts of the country. The number more than doubled from last year’s turnout of 110,752. Attendees were largely LGBTQ+ groups and individuals, different kinds of organizations, allies and fans of featured performers.

    This year’s Pride event, organized by Pride PH, a network of LGBTQ+ groups, and the Quezon City government, also became bigger, marked by two Pride marches in mid-afternoon. The Love Pride March, which started at Tomas Morato Avenue and Eugenio Lopez Drive, was composed of the Quezon City contingent, sponsors, workplace and business cluster and other attendees, while the Laban Pride March, which started at the Quezon City Hall, was composed of members of grassroots and human rights organizations, the youth, students, the elderly, persons with disabilities, representatives from the media, arts and culture sector, health groups, faith-based networks and others. The two marches on Elliptical Road upon entering Quezon Memorial Circle (QMC), the main venue of the Pride event. According to organizers, it was a “symbol of our community coming together to achieve our dream of having a society where everyone is treated equally and without bias.” Many in the LGBTQ+ sector perceive that the community is fragmented and this endeavor strived to gather different factions to conjure strength for the struggle to achieve equal rights, chief among these is the passage of the SOGIESC Equality Bill, which has been languishing in legislation for more than two decades.    

            Aside from the Pride Expo, where organizations, corporate sponsors, and LGBTQ- run businesses set up booths and engaged with attendees, at QMC, there was the Pride Food and Art Market along Matalino Street, organized in partnership with the Maginhawa Food Community, where booths were also set up and street and onstage performances were held, stretching from Kalayaan Avenue to Malakas Street.

Pride Night, a concert that started late afternoon and would last through the night, was a platform for the community and its allies to deliver their messages as well as a showcase of performances. Many celebrities, performers and notable personalities were lined up including Elijah Canlas, Janella Salvador, Janine Berdin, Maris Racal, Jason Dhakal, Justine Peña, Kaladkaren, Kokoy de Santos, Lance Reblando, Lesqrew, Matthew Chang Nica del Rosario, Paul Pablo, Raven Heyres, Sandiwa, Sean Miley Moore, Stef Aranas, Vxon YML, Adrian Lindayag, Alex Diaz, Ate Dick, Bong Gonzales, Cam Lagmay, Christian Antolin, Doc Jasper Vijar, Esnyr, Gian Bernardino, Mathilda Airlines, Nicole Cordoves, Pipay, Sassa Gurl, Sky Teotico, Sky Quizon, Stare Decisis, Tita Krissy Achino, Yani, Awra Briguela, Denise Julia, DJ Ayel Mari and Peabo, G22, Ballroom Community PH and Dance Royalties. Couple Ice Seguerra and Liza Diño-Seguerra and other personalities graced the event to show solidarity.

            An integral part of the program is drag and the lineup of drag queens included Astrid Mercury, Barbie, Bernie, Brigiding, Captivating Katkat, Deja, Elvira, Feyva Fatale, Hana Beshie, Jean Vilogue, Lady Gagita, Mac N' Sheesh, Maria Christina, Marlyn Ocampo, Matilduh, Maxie Andreison, Miss Jade So, Mrs. Tan, Naia, O-A, OV Cunt, Precious Paula Nicole, Pura Luka Vega, Russia Fox, Tiny Deluxe, Viñas Deluxe, and Marina Summers.

            Also set to make appearances and to perform were Vice Ganda, Ben&Ben, Cup of Joe, rapper Gloc-9, Juan Karlos Labajo, and girl group Bini.

            National and local government officials as well as representatives from the diplomatic corps and the United Nations were also in attendance. Prominent among them was Senator Risa Hontiveros, who marched with fairy wings and strengthened her commitment to support the community. 

“Pantay dapat ang karapatan ninyo tulad ng sinumang tao! Napakasimple! Dahil never naman po kayong humingi ng bago o espesyal na rights. Ito ay para sa pantay na pagtrato sa buhay, karapatan sa kalusugan, sa edukasyon, sa trabaho, sa access sa government services, at iba pa. Patuloy nating ipaglalaban na maipasa ng Senado ang SOGIESC Equality Bill...At habang hinihintay natin 'yan, parami nang parami ang mga local government units na kumikilos upang tuldukan ang diskriminasyon (Your rights should be equal like any other person’s! It is that very simple! Because you never asked for new or special rights. This is for equal treatments in life, right to health, to education, to work, to access to government services, and others. We continue to fight to pass the SOGIESC Equality Bill in the senate…And while we are waiting for it, more and more local government units are taking action to end discrimination),” said the long-time ally of the LGBTQ+ community and one of the champions of the SOGIESC Equality Bill.

            Because of the huge number of attendees, far exceeding the capacity of QMC, the park gates were closed by late afternoon. Heavy rains also poured, forcing organizers to cut short the program. 

“Nais naming ipagbigay-alam na nakompromiso ang electrical at sound system sa stage nang dahil sa malakas na ulan at posibleng makapinsala sa mga crew at mahal nating performers (We wish to inform everyone that the electrical at sound system of the stage was compromised because of the heavy rains, and this may cause harm to the crew and performers),” the Quezon City said in a statement. “Dahil dito napagdesisyunan ng mga organizer na unahin ang kapakanan at kaligtasan ng lahat at tapusin nang maaga ang programa ngayong gabi (Because of this, the organizer decided to put safety first and end the program earlier tonight).”

They also said: “We are proud of our community along with the many allies that have joined us dahil ipinakita natin ang ating (because they showed our) good behavior and also our resolve. We will need more of this show of force and love letter to national leaders in the crucial six months na kakailanganin natin ang lakas at suporta ng isa't isa para sa SOGIE Equality Bill at para makamit ang pangarap nating lipunang may pag-ibig at pagkakapantay-pantay (and we need the strength and support for each other, for the SOGIE Equality Bill and to achieve the dream of a society that has love and equality).” 

            Pride PH also released a statement explaining the circumstances and apologizing for what happened. 

“Nananatiling buo ang ating loob na ang mga nakamit nating tagumpay sa Pride ang magiging armas at kalasag natin upang harapin ang higit na malaking laban para sa pagsasabatas ng SOGIE Equality Bill…Taos-pusong pagpupugay at respeto ang alay natin para sa mga patuloy na dumadalo at nakikiisa taun-taon (We wholeheartedly believe that the successes that were achieved during Pride will be our weapons and shields in the bigger fight of passing the SOGIE Equality Bill…We salute and pay respect those who continue to be with us year after year).”

The attendance to the Love Laban 2 Everyone: Pride PH Festival is estimated to be at 212,000 persons. Other Pride events in other parts of the Philippines on that day pushed through with sizable attendance—Iloilo Pride Pyesta 2024 in Iloilo City, Iloilo, with about 6,000 attendees; Northern Luzon Pride in Baguio City, with about 4,000 attendees; Iligan Pride 2024 in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, with about 1,000 attendees; Catarman Pride in Catarman, Northern Samar, with about 500 attendees; Quirino Pride in the province of Quirino with about 300 attendees; and Magsaysay Pride in Magsaysay, Misamis Oriental, with about 50 attendees. Other affiliated Pride events were Mindanao Pride in Cagayan de Oro City on 30 June, with about 3,000 attendees, and Ladlad Caraga in Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, on 29 June, with about 1,000 attendees.

            Organizers staged another event on 30 June to provide closure to the 22 June event— Love Laban 2 Everyone! Happy Equality: Araw ng Pasasalamat—which drew about 27,000 attendees. A Manifesto Wall was set up for attendees to write their messages of support for the SOGIESC Equality Bill. 

“Today, as we gather again, every color of the rainbow is brighter and stronger is our appeal: a society that is fair and valued for all, regardless of gender. A country where all members of the LGBTQIA+ community are truly free. Not mocked, not hurt, and not ignored, ” Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said. “Pride is not just a concert or a party. Pride is a protest— that is more colorful, more joyful, and more meaningful, because of it, we recognize and respect our diversity. Our Pride celebrations are meant to be a safe space for all. They are meant to show the world how beautiful life can be when we empower the best in each other. ”

Included in lineup of performers was rapper Gloc-9, who sang his  iconic “Sirena,” dedicated to his gay son. Singer Regine Velasquez made a surprise appearance during Vice Ganda's performance.

Vice Ganda reiterated their support for the SOGIESC Equality Bill.

"Huwag tayong pumayag na basta nabubuhay lang, 'yung nabubuhay nang wala lang, at para tayong nilalang na ni-‘la-lang.’ Dapat tayong mabuhay nang may karapatan, may kalayaan, at may dignidad. Karapatan, kalayaan at dignidad na maging ating tunay na sarili. Ang ating tunay na sarili at pagkatao ay parang West Philippine Sea, 'di nila puwedeng angkinin at baguhin (Don’t allow that we just live, that we live without any purpose and that we are belittled. We should live with rights, freedom and dignity. The right, freedom and dignity to be our true selves. Our true selves and identities are like the West Philippine Sea; they can’t own and change it)," they said.

They added: "Kaya mabuhay ka, umawra ka, rumampa ka bitbit ang iyong karapatan, kalayaan, dignidad, at proteksyon mula sa batas at pamahalaan (Live on, shashay with your rights, freedom, dignity and protection of the law and government). They say, and I believe, that a man is equal to the state and is equal to the church therefore equal to any other man. Ako si Vice Ganda at asahan niyo akong sasama sa laban, sisigaw na ipasa ang SOGIESC Anti-Discrimination Bill (I am Vice Ganda and I stand with you in hoping, fighting for and calling for passage of the SOGIESC Anti-Discrimination Bill)!”

Old Saguran in New Styles: Interweaving LGBTQ+ Creativity and Traditional Craft in Bohol

The "Weaving With Pride" runway show at the National Museum of the Philippines-Bohol

The potentials of the saguran, or woven buri leaves, in fashion were explored in National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) Bohol Area Museum’s LGBTQ+ Pride Month event, "Weaving with Pride," held at the old provincial capitol building, which was transformed into a museum, in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, on June 20 and 21, 2024.  

"Weaving with Pride," organized by a team led by Cecilia. U. Tirol, NMP Director for Visayas; Rachelle “Tata” C. Lacea, NMP-Bohol administrative officer; and NMP-Bohol information officer Neil Gerard Reyes, highlighted the traditional hand-woven craft, whose practitioners have dwindled over the years, and LGBTQ+ contributions, particularly in fashion. 

NMP-Bohol is one of the very few prominent institutions that have been celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride Month in recent years in the island province which many consider as still “conservative.” Bohol has not yet held any Pride marches, has no anti-discrimination ordinance to protect its LGBTQ+ community and is one of several places that declared drag artist Pura Luka Vega persona non grata on August 22, 2023, contributing to the extensive persecution of a queer person and queer expression. But many scholars believe that the Visayas region, which Bohol is part of, has a rich pre-colonial history of LGBTQ+ acceptance. LGBTQ+ persons are said to have high status in communities, particularly as babaylans or shamans, which were said to be cisgender women, gay men and transgender women.

Despite the present situation, many LGBTQ+ individuals have become prominent and contributed significantly to the province especially in the field of culture and the arts. NMP-Bohol remains to be a beacon in the area with its observance of Pride, which grew this year with “Weaving with Pride,” This year also saw the first time the provincial government held an event to celebrate Pride Month—the exhibit “Pabuhagay,” featuring works by 18 LGBTQ+ Boholano artists, that ran from June 18 to 29, 2024, at the Alta Citta Mall in Tagbilaran City. 

            For its part, “Weaving with Pride” trained the spotlight on six Boholano LGBTQ+ fashion designers—EJ Relampagos, Christian Relator, the tandem of Noel Bompat Estopito and Christian Kent Paglinawan, Christian Bustrillos, and Shanon Pamaong—most of them emerging and promising.

Moreover, five transgender women were included as models during the runway show—Tine Acompanado, Anika Dondoyano, Laurince Catalan, Jane Madrigal and Redden Elnas. While still comprising a small percentage in the number of models, and could appear tokenistic, their participation represented a milestone. “Weaving with Pride: The Runway Show” was most likely the fashion show with the biggest number of trans models in Bohol, aside from being the first fashion show held at NMP-Bohol and the first to be organized by an NMP component museum.

            

Inclusive Craft

According to NMP-Bohol, gay men and trans women may have also engaged in weaving saguran. While the craft is traditionally practiced by women, it does restrict men from engaging in it. There are actually a few practicing male weavers.  

“Saguran weaving is not gendered. Unlike other areas where only women weave, saguran weaving is inclusive, not exclusive. While traditionally seen as a woman’s art, the weaving tradition in Bohol has been open to individuals of all genders, embracing a diverse and inclusive community of weavers,” said Christian N. Bacolod, researcher and instructor College of Education’s Institute of Human Kinetics of the Visayas State University main campus.

Bacolod was a speaker in the lecture sessions and workshop component of “Weaving with Pride,” held on June 20. His talks were “An Introduction to Bohol's Weaving Traditions” and “From Leaves to Weaves: Ethno-Botanical Knowledge of Saguran Weavers,” which were part of his thesis for a master’s degree in Art Studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman.

Other talks were “Saguran in Architecture and Design” by architect Nigell Abarquez, creative director of the Tubigon Raffia Gallery, an enterprise that promotes and creates a wide array of items from saguran; and “Incorporating Saguran into Fashion Design: The Risk, Possibilities and Success” by Pamaong.

The lecture series culminated into a workshop on preparation of the leaves and paghabol or weaving the saguran, led by Maria Trina Sumayang of the Tubigon Raffia Gallery

 

The Tradition of Weaving Buri Leaves

            Bohol has many traditional crafts, arts and practices still alive today, including mat and basket weaving, pottery, performances, and salt-making. Saguran weaving remains to be the only extant textile weaving practice in the island in Central Visayas.  

According local historian and culture expert Marianito Luspo, textile weaving was practiced in Bohol, using locally grown cotton. He said they have found old upright looms and pieces of cloths in old houses in the towns of Dauis and Panglao. It cannot be ascertained if this kind of weaving was indigenous or introduced. 

Earliest known material for clothing in Bohol is textile made of tree barks. A piece of stone used as bark cloth beater found on the island is on display at NMP-Bohol’s permanent exhibit, “Paglawig: The Boholano Way of Life.” It was used “for pounding raw pieces of inner bark from certain trees to make soft and wearable materials.”

            Saguran weaving is said to be centuries-old. With dearth of records or documentations, it is difficult to construct a definitive history of the craft. Memories of living practitioners and studies of researchers are the main sources of information.

            According to Asteria Caberte, provincial administrator of Bohol and a former official of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), saguran was used traditionally as mats or linings for drying palay and as blankets. 

On being used as material for clothing, she mentioned that it was used for uniforms of soldiers during World War II. Luspo said that saguran was used to make clothing, especially after the war, but it had a reputation to being worn only by the poor.

            Saguran is a coarse textile. The main material is the leaf shoots of the buri palm (Corypha elata), called buli in Cebuano, the language of the island, from which soft layers are stripped off. These strips undergo several steps in processing them for weaving, involving washing, soaking and drying. The thin buri leaf strips are then knotted together to make longer strands and are woven using a wooden, upright, foot loom, locally called hagbanan.

Saguran weaving is practiced in the northwest part of Bohol, particularly in the towns of Inabanga and Tubigon. According to Caberte, during the early 1980s, saguran weavers were concentrated in Inabanga, while Tubigon was the source of materials.

She said that they began assisting the saguran workers in early 1980s when she was still a field worker of DTI, introducing to them the use of dyes as well as other uses for saguran such as home items. Because of her continuous promotion of saguran, she came to be known as the “Mother of Saguran Weaving.”

Today, saguran weaving can be found in Tubigon, where there is a Tubigon Loomweavers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Cooperative, which was formed in 1989 with the help of DTI and which has a weaving center and showroom in the barangay of Pinayagan Norte. The center houses many looms, where weavers can work. Interestingly, the looms are large, ones of the largest I’ve seen in the Philippines for a traditional craft, difficult to fit in homes. This can be a modern modification to meet market demands. Weavers say that looms at homes are usually installed at the silong, under the house. A sample of a loom for saguran, with a size commonly seen in the country, is on display at the NMP-Bohol. 

The cooperative said there are presently about sixty weavers in the town, specifically in the barangays of Pinayagan Sur, Ilijan Norte and llijan Sur, and nearby areas. Weavers are predominantly women, usually wives of fishers, farmers and vendors. They produce saguran as well as a wide array of saguran products such as placemats, table runners, leis, home decors, etc. The towns of Inabanga, Catigbian, Sagbayan, Danao and Clarin are presently suppliers of buri materials. 

The family-run Tubigon Raffia Gallery, owned by the Abarquez family, also produces and designs saguran products, which are marketed in the country as well as internationally. 

Presently, saguran weaving appears to have seen developments with outside interventions, and it will take effort to unearth its most traditional practice and uses.  

 

On the Way to be Wearable

            While it is very possible for saguran to be used for fashion and it has been used for such several times, Pamaong and Caberte admitted that it can be a challenging endeavor. 

Pamaong, a multi-awarded fashion veteran trained abroad and a mentor who runs his own fashion school, the Fashion Institute of the Philippines, first used saguran in fashion in 2021 for a virtual fashion show. During that time, there were travel restrictions in place because of the coronavirus pandemic, and they could not go to Manila to buy fabrics. Thus, he explored the local saguran.

“Mahirap (It’s difficult),” they commented. 

Because the saguran is usually coarse, a finer weave must be specifically made for fashion. You can only execute bulky and simple style, they said. Cleaning and maintenance of saguran works can also be challenging. 

“What I do is more of attachments to a dress. You know, you have a basic dress and you kind of attach the sleeves or collar or frills (made of saguran),” Pamaong said. “So you can detach [them] and then you can wash the dress.”

They added: “You can make special-occasion dress. It is not like inaul or Cordilleran textiles. They are easier to manipulate because they are really fabrics. This one (saguran) needs to be developed.”

Pamaong recommended using saguran for attachments and for simple designs that are not body-hugging. 

“I hope it will develop,” they said.

            Caberte affirmed that it will be a long journey for saguran to be wearable.

            The potentials of saguran for fashion were further explored in “Weaving With Pride.”

Pamaong said they were invited to take part last April. It took two weeks for weaving the saguran according to their preferences including dyeing. They worked on their capsule collections on-and-off for about two months. 

            

The Runway Show 

Five collections with five pieces each were produced by the six designers for the runway show, which was mounted at the NMP-Bohol’s atrium and accompanied by live singing of the renown Loboc Children’s Choir. 

            The event was graced by Tagbilaran City mayor Jane Yap; Caberte; theater veteran Lutgardo Labad; Jorell Legaspi, NMP Deputy Director-General for Museums; and Arvin Manuel Villalon, NMP Director for Mindanao and NCCA Commissioner of the Arts.

The tandem of Estopito, whose signature designs are said to be metropolitan, streamlined and feminine, and Paglinawan presented their collection called “Ang Paghagbung (The Fall),” enlivened by green and bright yellow colors.

            According to the designers, their collection was meant to convey the stages of falling in love, “meant to paint the picture of how we transform the moment love comes knocking on our doors” and to say that “love is the currency of the struggle on which the LGBTQIA+ community continues to fight for.” They also wanted to highlight the saguran “as a versatile fabric that works well in blending with other materials to make a cohesive finish.”

A Marketing graduate, who discovered his passion for fashion design during high school and started dressing up clients in 2018, Bustrillos said that his aesthetics range from minimalism to the avant-garde. For his collection, “Fortnight Affair,” he used saguran swaths like draping as well as tiny connected tiles of saguran in his designs. He said he was inspired by LGBTQ+ love.

Twenty-six-year-old Relator, who is also an entrepreneur and a Sangguniang Kabataan official, presented the predominantly deep red “Grandiflora Collection.”

“Merging tradition with contemporary medium and embellished with my fascination of nature’s flora is my personal take in working with a collection featuring saguran….Producing these pieces…was quite the challenge. With a goal of creating staples that are above usual while still staying true to my aesthetics, a quick trip to memory lane was done. I was fond of flowers and floral motifs especially with my projects and artworks done during my school life era thus the main theme of this assemblage, the love of flowers,” he explained. 

He added: “Saguran is quite a promising element in the textile industry, though it still does need to undergo a lot of process of refinement to be at par with other local weaves like piña and banana fiber, feasible for clothing. This calls for government and private units of Bohol to do further innovations for the betterment of this product that we can proudly call our own.”

Relampagos, the founder and first president of Bohol Designers Circle, boasts of being the first and only Boholano designer to showcase a complete collection at the Milan Fashion Week in 2023. For “Weaving With Pride,” he created “The Global Geopark Bohol,” which used the saguran in its natural color. 

            He explained his collection: “The collection is inspired by the breathtaking karst landscape of Bohol, capturing the island's unique topography. The raffia (meaning the saguran) is intricately draped and hand sewn to evoke the natural wonders of Bohol, depicting its mysterious caves, winding rivers, and majestic hills. This representation not only highlights the island's geological beauty but also emphasizes its abundant natural resources, which are crucial to the livelihood of its people. The design pays homage to the richness of Bohol's environment and its significant role in sustaining the local economy, showcasing the glory and splendor of this remarkable island. Indeed, a global geopark!”

The esteemed Pamaong served as the finale collection with his Maria Clara-inspired collection in the colors of the Philippine flag. They stayed true to the classic terno and feminine silhouette with flourishes made of saguran. The highlight was a Maria Clara bridal gown with a full skirt consisting of many panels. 

They revealed: “This modernized interpretation is reduced to three panels forming a sort of pyramid from the waist. The raffia parts are attachments to a base dress which can be removed for easy storage and maintenance. The base dress can stand as an outfit on its own and can be therefore easily washed.”

“Weaving With Pride” showed the potentials and powers of tradition, imagination, inclusivity and acceptance, articulated in how an age-old craft was used in imaginative ways that was made possible by the celebration and inclusion of traditionally marginalized persons.

Leaf shoots from buri palms are harvested for saguran (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Strips of young buri leaves to be used for weaving (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

A weaver working on a loom in Tubigon (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Bolts of saguran at the Tubigon Loomweavers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Saguran weavers at the Tubigon Loomweavers Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Pinyagan Norte, Tubigon (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Saguran used in different items at the Tubigon Raffia Gallery (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Shanon Pamaong with their Maria Clara-inspired collection (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

A Shanon Pamaong gown  worn by trans model Anika Dondoyano (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

EJ Relampagos with collection inspired by the landscape of Bohol (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Trans model Tine Acompanado in creation by EJ Relampagos (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Christian Bustrillos with his creations (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Designers Noel Bompat Estopito and Christian Kent Paglinawan with their creations (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Model Laurince Catalan in attire by Noel Bompat Estopito and Christian Kent Paglinawan (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The Grandiflora Collection of Christian Relator (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The designers with Tagbilaran City mayor Jane Yap; Bohol provincial administrator Asteria Caberte; Jorell Legaspi, NMP Deputy Director-General for Museums; Cecilia. U. Tirol, NMP Director for Visayas; and Arvin Villalon, NMP Director for Mindanao and NCCA Commissioner of the Arts (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

National Museum of the Philippines Strives to be a Safe Space, Celebrates LGBTQ+ Pride Month

A rainbow appeared over the National Museum of Fine Arts as the National Museum of the Philippines unfurled a Progress Pride Flag and lit the facade with rainbow colors (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The National Museum of the Philippines (NMP), one of the country’s premiere cultural institutions, was one of the few cultural agencies of the state that proudly celebrated LGBTQ+ Pride Month in June 2024, expressed solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and recognized the diversity of gender identities.

            NMP unfurled large Progress Pride Flags at the façade of its buildings in the complex—the National Museum of Fine Arts, the National Museum of Anthropology and the National Museum of Natural History—on June 26. Moreover, the façade of the National Museum of Fine Arts was lit up with colors of the rainbow, signifying their “commitment to making our spaces safe for a diverse spectrum of identities, not only during Pride Month but throughout the rest of the year too!”

            The Progress Pride Flag is a variation of the rainbow or Pride flag conceptualized by American artists Gilbert Baker, Lynn Segerblom, James McNamara and other activists, and launched in 1978. It was designed by American non-binary artist and designer Daniel Quasar in 2018, incorporating the six bands of colors of the common Pride flag and adding five chevrons to emphasize the inclusion of marginalized people of color, transgender people, people living with HIV/AIDS, and those who have been lost.

“The display of these flags is a gesture of the NMP’s strong commitment to promoting gender equality and allyship with our LGBTQI+ brothers and sisters—not just in the Philippines—but also around the world!” NMP further said. 

            Many component museums of NMP around the country also displayed Pride flags and held Pride events including those in Vigan City in Ilocos Sur, Bohol, Iloilo, Cebu, Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental, and Butuan City in Agusan del Norte. These included Colorful Fridays, for which NMP Central and Regional Office employees wore vibrant colors during all Fridays of June, a symbolic act of allyship through fashion to show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.

The main NMP complex in Manila also had several Pride activities. It offered free guided tours for members of the LGBTQ+ community all Saturdays of June, wherein guests were encouraged to wear colorful outfits during their visit. Through its Gender and Development Focal Point System, it launched a Freedom Wall on June 21, allowing “participants from both the NMP and the public to share their thoughts and express their imagination through a colorful display of collaborative art,” with a short lecture by artist Marko Sarmiento.

On the other hand, the NM Employees' Multi-Purpose Cooperative held a poem-writing contest called Tula ng Bahaghari.

According to NMP, the Republic Act No. 11333 or NMP Act “ensures the LGBTQ+ community of equal access and opportunity to cultural education activities and museum experience.” 

“Pride Month is a commemoration and celebration of LGBTQ+ pride, an integral cultural concept representing solidarity, collectivity, and identity as well as resistance to discrimination and violence,” the museum said. 

The institution added: “The NMP, in its brand-new vision of shaping a progressive and sustainable future, prides itself as a safe and accessible space for all folks in the identity spectrum!”