Baguio Lights Up for Christmas

Baguio City's Christmas tree is made of stained-glass windows showing Chrstmas images (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Visitors and vacationers flocked to Baguio City during the last weekend of November and as December arrived. The commercial hub in the mountainous Cordillera Region has been a favorite getaway of Filipinos, especially during the dry, hot months and holiday, including the Christmas season. Perhaps the nippy weather is closely associated with the one of most beloved holidays, perhaps making the air of Christmas much more intense. And Baguio City has prepared events and attractions to delight holiday excursionists.

            Last December 1, the city government unveiled its own Christmas tree in a well-attended lighting ceremony at the upper portion of the city’s busiest and most historic stretch, Session Road. The program, graced by local government officials and employees, included performances by the SLU (Saint Louis University) Marching Band, University of Baguio Voices and the University of the Cordillera Dance Company.

            Erected on a central island of a roundabout, Baguio City’s Christmas tree is of modern design by architect Nikki Monica Perez—an assemblage depicting stained-glass cathedral windows that show classic Christmas images—visible even from the end of Session Road and Burnham Park. It is described as “a fusion of art and faith that is meant to be more than just decoration. It aims to reflect the values of our city charter and the aspirations of our city as we continue to move forward and celebrate our milestones and cherish our learnings this year with faith, love and hope. The tree is deemed to be a place of reflection and also as a visual prayer. As we gather around it, we are transported to the first Christmas night, experiencing anew the wonder and joy of that sacred moment. The tree is envisioned to become a symbol of hope, reminding us of the promise of salvation and the enduring power of love. In a world often filled with chaos and uncertainty, this stained-glass nativity tree would stand as a testament to the enduring light of Christmas, a beacon of faith and hope for all who behold it.”

“It truly tells us the story of Christmas and the characters and events that surround it,” Baguio City mayor Benjamin Magalong enthused. “This year's design will remind us right away of the real reason for the season, the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

In his speech during the lighting ceremony, he explained: “As we light this sacred edifice tonight, may it serve as a reminder of the values of faith, hope, and love. Faith in the goodness of humanity and the divine plan that guides us even in uncertain times. Faith in each other and faith in our city's leaders. Hope amidst all the challenges that we face today—climate change, diseases, pandemics, political instability and corruption. Just as these lanterns illuminate our path tonight, may hope light our way as we rebuild, renew, and aspire for a better tomorrow for the city and the whole Filipino nation. And above all, love, the greatest gift of all. It is love that drives us, our acts of kindness, compassion, and generosity. It is this season of giving and let us embrace the spirit of love, not only for our families and friends, but for those in need, for our environment, and for the generations that will follow.”

            The lighting ceremony was followed by another annual city attraction, the 16th SLU Lantern Parade. This year, the lanterns were in the shape of cultural icons of different countries. The parade went down Session Road, which sparkled with Christmas lights and lanterns. 

            The Christmas tree lighting ceremony and the lantern parade are part of An Enchanting Baguio Christmas 2024, a series of events and attractions prepared by the city government and the Baguio Tourism Council. 

            Last November 28, the Baguio Christmas Market was opened at the Rose Garden of Burnham Park. Inspired by the Christmas fairs of Europe, it features stores in thematic designs, rides and regular shows. Baguio Botanical Garden was also spruced up for Botanical Christmas Garden with Faith, Hope and Love. Another popular attraction is the Baguio Country Club Christmas Village.

            Every weekend, the city mounts free shows together with the city’s academic institutions and performing arts groups. Notable ones include The Nutcracker Suite by the Ballet Baguio; the “University of Baguio Christmas Cantata: A Journey to Bethlehem;” the “YesUCan Concert” by the University of the Cordilleras; and a drag show, “Frost and Fierce: An Enchanting Christmas Drag Race” on December 21.

The Simbang Gabi (Anticipated Mass) tradition will be held at Rose Garden from December 15 to 23.

For local communities, different contests and activities are also lined up. 

            An Enchanting Baguio Christmas 2024 will culminate with New Year’s countdown event at the Melvin Jones Grandstand on December 31 and An Enchanting Baguio Christmas 2024 Closing Ceremony on January 5, 2025.

The Baguio Christmas Market at the Rose Garden of Burnham Park (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

A water fountain and light show at the Baguio Christmas Market  (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The SLU Lantern Parade, another annual attraction, followed after the Christmas tree lighting ceremony (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Historic Session Road is lit up for the holidays (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Speculating as Form of Resistance: The 12th Active Vista Human Rights Festival

The opening of 12th Active Vista Human Rights Festival at University of the Philippines Diliman (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

With members of the Kontemporaryong Gamelan Pilipino or Kontra-GaPi playing the kulintang and performing traditional Moro dances, and booths by artists and advocacy groups offering books, artworks, stickers, etc. to attendees, the twelfth staging of Active Vista Human Rights Festival (AVHRF) opened on September 19, 2024, at the UPFI (University of the Philippines Film Institute) Film Center of the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.

            Stationed by near the driveway of the UPFI Film Center was the Courageous Hope Van, bringing in splashes of color against the backdrop of the gloomy and rainy weather and the brutalist venue. The Courageous Hope Van is one of the mobile cafes of Silingan Coffee, a livelihood and educational project of Redemptorist Brother Jun Santiago established in 2021 with the help of Respond and Break the Silence Against the Killings or RESBAK, a group of artists and media practitioners. Based at the Cubao Expo, Silingan Coffee is manned by families affected by former President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody and misguided war on drugs and other human rights violations. Aside from being a café, it also has an exhibit on the extrajudicial killings and is a venue where people can hear the stories of the victims and learn about human rights. The cafe also has three vans—the Justice Van, the Pananagutan Van and the Courageous Hope Van—bringing coffee, drinks and snacks as well as advocating for human rights. Artists collaborated to paint the Courageous Hope Van, which was unveiled at the AVHRF opening.  

Organized by non-governmental organization DAKILA and its Active Vista Center, AVHRF has been held annually on the week of the anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law, one of the darkest chapters in Philippine history, to put a spotlight on human rights, freedoms and dignity.  

“What began as a humble film festival in 2008, the Active Vista Human Rights Festival, 16 years later, is still striving to reach the broadest and widest audience possible in our pursuit of sustaining a movement that respects, upholds and values the dignity, rights and freedoms of all,” said festival director Alex Poblete during the opening program. 

AVHRF has mounted film screenings, art exhibits, talks, fora and performances to bring “attention to stories of human struggles” and to aim “at engaging the public in conversations on important social issues toward developing a critical citizenry that supports initiatives for the promotion of human rights and democracy in the Philippines.”

            Running from September19 to October 6 this year, AVHRF carries the theme “Espekulasyon” (Speculation).

“It has been said time and again that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. But what is vigilance if not an act of speculation? And to speculate, to be vigilant is to imagine alternatives, question the status quo, and ask the simplest yet most radical question. What if things were different?” said Poblete.

She deplored how the state of and respect for human rights have deteriorated. 

“In recent years, human rights have taken a severe hit around the world. In the Philippines, the previous government significantly undermined human rights, painting advocates in a bad light, which paved the way for authoritarianism to grow, deepen social divides, and fuel the culture of violence and intolerance,” she said.“Globally, the rise of populist and authoritarian leaders has led to shrinking civic spaces, setbacks for democracy, widespread disinformation, attacks on fundamental rights and freedoms, silencing of dissent, and harsh crackdowns on human rights defenders and activists.” 

She further said, “The Philippines, dubbed as Patient Zero of the populist and authoritarian playbook, made a monumental leap from being a bastion of people power and democracy in Asia to repeating its history of being under the authoritarian rule of Duterte, and now, the Marcos administration.”

She explained that attacks “on the rights and freedoms of the people continue to escalate and worsen, resulting in a climate of fear that silences dissent and expression, and affects the already declining state of the civil society movement,” and that “worsening economic conditions further dehumanize people's lives, forcing us into a perpetual state of survival, exhaustion, and hopelessness in a nation with a seemingly bleak future.”

Poblete said that spotlighting stories from the margins, the festival aims to invite audiences “to examine the truth in a world shaped by the narratives of those in power,” recognizing that narratives play a crucial role in shaping culture, and to take “its viewers to see the world not as it is, but as what it could be, opening conversation through films, performances, art, and music, ushering them in a critical discourse through forums and talks that encourage in-depth reflection on a future beyond what it is.” 

With the theme, the festival “invites audiences to wander together into the world of possibilities, to imagine a future where gripping into hope does not bleed and a better reality is within reach.” 

“For in this world of uncertainties, where the future is bleak, to speculate is to resist,” she emphasized.

The festival opening featured the Ukrainian film The Editorial Office, directed by Roman Bondarchuk, which had its world premiere at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in Germany. Set in pre-invasion Ukraine, it shows “the plight of a journalist in his journey to expose the truth amid a storm of fake news and political shenanigans,” Poblete said.

“Much like their experience, the Philippines is no stranger to populist rule. Time and again, individuals and political dynasties have risen to power through rampant historical distortion and widespread disinformation, challenges that we still grapple with today,” she explained. “We hope that the film may serve as a poignant reminder that in a world where power dictates the narrative, to seek the truth is itself an act of resistance.” 

The screening was preluded by the solidarity message of Rebecca Mason from the International Programs and Operations and Stakeholders Relations of Journalists for Human Rights and followed by a talkback with Pochoy Pinzon Labog, human rights lawyer, artist and member of the Active Vista Board of Trustees; Carmela Fonbuena, executive director of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism; Patricia Aquino, podcast producer of Journalists for Human Rights; and Jonathan de Santos, chairperson of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines tackling challenges on pursuing journalism, media freedom, and the spread of disinformation.

“As documented annually by Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index and by Amnesty International, media freedoms and human rights are increasingly under attack around the world, and the risk to journalists and human rights defenders are real. Myths and disinformation campaigns against democracies or regional powers pose challenges for good governance,” Mason explained. “With the upcoming elections, the role of the media has never been greater to promote and protect human rights and to work collaboratively to enhance and protect the participation of all citizens in democratic politics. Red-tagging, intimidation tactics, the suppression of and attack on truth-tellers, journalists, media groups, and activists continue.”

“Media development is one of the earliest and efficient ways to intervene, to help stabilize conflict and fragile state situations, allowing journalists to remain in their communities, carrying out their critical work safely to support their country's growth and development,” the officer from the Canada-based NGO further said.

“I encourage us all to continue to dream, to challenge, to question and to create, so together we can realize a world where press freedom and human rights come to live by all,” she said. 

Several other films are screened in the festival’s 20/20 Film Screenings, aimed at bringing “focus to narratives of different stories at the margins of our sight to see the world in 20/20— with an awareness of those in the peripherals, with sharpness and clarity of vision, with a depth of perception, and hopefully, through the lens of humanity.” This year’s slate includes Alipato at Muog, 11 Days in August, Ghosts of Kalantiaw, Balota, 11,103 and Tumandok.

Another festival component is the Panorama: Festival Events which includes a public gig (“Delulu Night: Manifesting Our Vision of a Better Nation,” featuring Leanne & Naara, Autotelic, Any Name's Okay, Uncle Bob’s Funky Seven Club, Shanne Dandan, and AIIZ), an art market, cartooning workshops and exhibit (PAK DEM! Political Cartooning for Democracy and Human Rights), a staged reading, and the awarding of the Frames, the AVHRF Short Films Competition.

Complementing the film screenings are the Viewpoints Festival Forums, which tackle the different issues. This year, the forums will focus on critical thinking and democracy in anticipation of the 2025 Philippine Midterm Elections. 

A new addition to this year’s festival is Perspective: Weaving Narratives for Change, a by-invitation-only series of talks, workshops and other activities that brings together storytellers, creatives, filmmakers, artists, journalists, civil society organizations, activists and human rights advocates “to foster collaboration for the human rights cause and to weave the power of narratives with social movement strategies in driving positive social change and in shaping progressive democratic futures.” The lineup includes Cross-Culture Program: Synergy with “Holy Shit! Can Poop Save The World?” Screening; Storytelling for Social Impact: Creating Art That Matters; Plot Twist: Creative Storytellers for Change; Climate Story Lab; Kwento Namin ‘To; and Climate Story Lab Pitching.

Not confined to Metro Manila, AVHRF has satellite events happening simultaneously in select areas around the country such as Cebu, Bacolod City, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro City, Dumaguete City and Laguna. 

Poblete said that festival also “pays homage to filmmakers and artists who have catalyzed change in the audience's perspective through their compelling storytelling and artistry.” This year, it is paying tribute to filmmaker and screenwriter, Armando “Bing” Lao, who passed away on 18 June. 

For more details and festival schedule, one may visit the Active Vista Facebook page or their website (http://avhumanrightsfestival.ph).

The Courageous Hope Van of Silingan Cafe (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The Kontemporaryong Gamelan Pilipino  performing at the opening (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Talkback after the screening of 'The Editorial Office' with journalists and human rights advocates (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Marie Frances B. Macabenta: Sweetening and Salting the Bitterness

Chocolate maker and Balai Cacao owner Marie Frances Macabenta (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The province of Bohol is mostly known as one of the Philippines’ popular tourist destinations with its white-sand beaches, heritage churches, tarsiers and the Chocolate Hills. Lesser known about the Central Visayan island is that there are several chocolate makers making their own chocolate products. 

            One of them is Balai Cacao, which is based in a residential area in the district of Manga in Tagbilaran City, the capital of Bohol. The bungalow is actually nondescript except for a small sign. It is actually the home of its owner and founder, Marie Frances Buyco Macabenta.

            Macabenta actually has been a teacher for many years and started a small chocolate business, the Balai Cacao, which means “house of chocolate.”

“It started in 2011 as a passion and for my personal interest because I had a heart bypass in 2011. And I learned that chocolates—or dark chocolate specifically—is very good for my heart health. So, I did the research and I became interested in it. And so, I learned it from an elderly woman who is vending budbud (local rice cake) and sikwate (chocolate drink) in the neighborhood,” she related. “And so, I asked her to teach me and I learned from her. And that became my passion. And I was teaching then. I was in the academe for twenty-one years. On the side of my teaching job, I did tablea (chocolate tablets). I sold it to my friends, relatives. And so, it became a hobby and later on an income-generating project.”

            Macabenta actually hails from La Paz, Iloilo City, Iloilo, but she married a Boholano, and moved to Bohol. Coming from Iloilo, which is known for its cuisine, an enterprise related to food is not a far-fetched idea.

            In  2013, they bought a piece of land in San Isidro, Tagbilaran, and her husband became interested in cultivating cacao trees. 

“So, he planted cacao and he gave away some seedlings to the fathers in the neighborhood. Later on, we saw children roaming around and ang papayat nila tapos nakakatuwa din na (they were so skinny and they were also amusing because) they were very responsive.”

Concerned about the plight of the children, they decided to help through outreach to the children and then to the mothers, organizing feeding programs and catechesis Sunday school, giving them sikwate and champorado.

They also helped the parents, especially the mothers, organize a savings group, and introduced an income-generating project. 

“Una ‘yung (First, it was) soapmaking pero (but) later on we realized na not everyone can be entrepreneurs. We thought about it; we prayed na ano kaya kung itong tablea gagawin nating (what to do, what of we make chocolate making a) business and we employ the mothers. And so that's what we did,” Macabenta related. 

Thus, in 2017, she registered Balai Cacao enterprises, and hired the mothers of the children. 

She said, “We thought it was a sustainable way of helping the community. And later on, in 2019. I thought about it very hard and deep, and decided that I will leave the academe after twenty-one years of teaching. And so, I did not wait for retirement. Sana magre-retire ako at the time, mga nine years pa ang aabutin (It would take nine years before I retire). So, I decided to resign. But the university gave me a gratuity pay na ginamit ko rin na (which I used as) capital for my tablea business.”

            She also found support from initiatives such as the Canada-funded Great Women Project and programs for women entrepreneurs of Department of Trade and Industry and Department of Science and Technology. 

            She continued: “My husband bought me a grinder na parang sinasaksak sa kuryente pero (an electric one but) very simple grinder. So, I didn't have to go to the market para ipa-grind yung aking tablea (to have my chocolate ground), and that was how I started—[with] Php5,000 and then the grinder and then this dirty kitchen. And then we improved it. And then later on, of course, when the pandemic came, we made the factory. That was in 2019.”

            Macabenta also enhanced her skills in chocolate making as well as in marketing by enrolling in different trainings.

“So, I learned the science of making tablea because I only learned it from experience and from, of course, my mentor, ‘yung elderly woman, si Nanay Paping. Later on, pati chocolate making tinuruan kami and DTI also helped me with the packaging. At first nag-introduce ako in a box, and then later on, I learned the craft and made some designs already,” she divulged. 

            Her enterprise thrived despite the pandemic. When her husband retired, he was able to help her out. They slowly improved their home-based factory, and found a supplier for good quality beans.

            From the simple, tablea, the coin-shaped unsweetened chocolate used to make chocolate drink, she was able to create other chocolate products such as nibs, candies and chocolate barks with nuts and seeds. Her latest products contain asin tibuok, the artisanal sea salt of Bohol, which is a heritage product that is in danger of vanishing.

            She discovered asin tibuok through tour guides, who became their friends when they ventured into farm tourism. They invited the couple to visit a salt-making workshop. 

“So pumunta kami (we went) and then we learned na ganoon pala kahirap ‘yung kanilang dinadanas just to preserve the asin tibuok, ‘yung heritage nila. And then triny din namin, kasi gumagamit na rin ako ng asin sa chocolates, ‘yung Himalayan salt. Pero na-taste ko na mas maganda ‘yung taste ng asin tibuok. Para kasing may smoky flavor na kino-compliment niya ‘yung chocolate. At saka, since very conscious kami sa health—dark chocolate ‘yung sa amin—so parang nate-temper niya or naba-balance niya ‘yung taste ng sweetness. At saka ‘yung beans din namin, dahil nga fermented siya, fruity flavor, so nako-compliment din nung fruity flavor ng asin tibuok (We went and then we learned how difficult it is for them to preserve asin tibuok, their heritage. And then we tried it because I also use salt in chocolates, Himalayan salt. But I tasted that asin tibuok has a better taste. It's like it has a smoky flavor that complements the chocolate. And since we're very health-conscious, our chocolate is dark, so it tempers or balances out the sweetness. And also our beans, because they're fermented, have a fruity flavor, so the flavor is complemented by the asin tibuok),” she enthused.

            Macabenta started using asin tibuok coming out with chili chocolate flakes with asin tibuok, sesame chocolate barks with asin tibuok and chia and oat chocolate barks with asin tibuok. She also put a dash of asin tibuok on her sikwate

“I've been using asin tibuok with my sikwate. Iba ang taste ng sikwate with asin tibuok. Ang asin kasi naba-balance niya rin yung tamis. Cacao is really bitter. Bitter lang siya sa sarili niyang taste pero lalagyan mo ng sugar para naman matabunan ‘yung bitterness pero dark chocolate pa rin yung aming sikwate. Para hindi masyadong matamis, at saka may flavor siya na unique din, nilalagay namin ng asin tibuok (It tastes different with asin tibuok. The salt also balances the sweetness. Cacao is really bitter. It's just bitter on its own but you add sugar to cover up the bitterness but our chocolate drink is still dark chocolate. To be not too sweet, and to have a unique flavor, we add a dash of asin tibuok),” she enthused.

            Her use of asin tibuok is her way of helping this element of cultural heritage continue, and she said she frequently promotes it so that makers can sustain their craft and tradition.

“Every time kung may chance ako (If I have the chance), I tell some of my friends not just about my chocolates but also about asin tibuok,” she said. 

 

Balai Cacao is a home-based operation in Tagbilaran, Bohol  (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Some Balai Cacao products using asin tibuok  (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Macabenta making chocolate drink the traditional way and using asin tibuok of Bohol (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Macabenta making chocolate bark with asin tibuok (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Makati City Holds LGBTQ+ Pride Event to Spread Love

Makati City's event to celebrate LGBTQ+ love and inclusion (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

 

While some LGBTQ+ Pride marches have been held in Makati City, prominent of which is the Philippines’ longest running Pride march, the Metro Manila Pride March, on December 8, 2012, with about 1,500 attendees, a major Pride event was spearheaded by Makati City government, led by its mayor, Abigail “Abby” Binay-Campos, for the first time on July 27, 2024.

Intended to be a celebration of diversity, equality, inclusion and love, “Spread the Love, Makati!” was held on a closed-off section of Makati Avenue in the barangay of Poblacion from 10 a.m. to almost midnight, with city officials gracing the event including congressmen Luis Campos and Kid Peña, vice mayor Monique Lagdameo, and the city councilors. Binay-Campos said the event is also a “movement towards understanding, acceptance, and support for everyone in our diverse community, regardless of their background.”

LGBTQ+ organizations and advocates, such as Metro Manila Pride, also led in the organization of “Spread the Love, Makati!,” together with Makati City’s Museum and Cultural Affairs Office and the Makati Gender and Development Council, and the event had a program that featured drag queens and several celebrities such as Nadine Lustre, Heart Evangelista, Karen Davila, and Angela King.

            The day began with a series of talks, held at different hotels in the area, tackling issues for inclusive development and cultural diversity as well as gender sensitivity, addressing discrimination, health needs of the LGBTQ+ community, and meaningful allyship—“Understanding SOGIESC: The Importance of Gender Sensitivity and the Call for the Passage of the SOGIE Equality Bill” at Saint Giles Hotel with speaker Janlee Dungca of Castro Communications; “Differentiated Care: Understanding the Health Needs of the LGBTQIAP+ Community” at Coro Hotel with speaker Benedict Bernabe; “Pride in Business: The Journey from Awareness to Allyship” at the City Garden Grand with speakers Bobby Batungbacal from the Makati Business Club, Ichi Yabut from the Makati City Government, Junie del Mundo from The EON Group and Weena Ekid from Philippine Financial and Inter-Industry Pride (PFIP), who shared highlights from PFIP’s 2024 Philippine LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion Report; and “Beyond the Rainbow: Confronting Internalized Homophobia in the LGBTQIA+ Community” at I’M Hotel with speakers Ruel Bayani of ABS-CBN television network, filmmaker Milo Sogueco and writer G3 San Diego. 

There were also workshops on drag makeup and styling with drag queen Tiny Deluxe and on photography and painting with Niccolo Cosme at Hoesik Bar and Lounge.

            Part of the venue, which was styled by acclaimed visual artist Leeroy New, hosted a fair with booths by local and LGBTQ-owned businesses selling food and merch as well as by LGBTQ+ groups to promote their causes, including a free HIV testing stall. Different games and activities were also prepared for the attendees. 

            In the afternoon, street dancing performances with different groups including the. Intensity Dancers, DJ sets by Moira Lang and Dignos, street voguing with Nunoy Revlon and his dancers, and the unfurling of a giant rainbow flag led to the main program, which started at 6 P.M. and provided an opportunity for guest celebrities to express their solidarity. 

“We are here to celebrate love,” said Evangelista. “I like to share the stage with all of you. We are present and not at the farthest of reaching because each and every single one of us here holds something very special in our hearts, something that is very unique, a unique kind of spring that blossoms internally, and that is the sense of self. And we should celebrate it. We should hear it.”

“In this world they say love is intangible but indeed on this night it has been made present because of all of you. We shall celebrate it and we shall champion it,” she ended.

Davila emphasized the importance of equality and inclusion, and that inequality affects many aspects of life. 

“Nagsisimula po and inclusion, diversity and the belief in equality sa ating mga tahanan (Inclusion, diversity and the belief in equality start at home),” the veteran broadcast journalist said, calling out abuses that LGBTQ+ people undergo at homes. 

She further said, “Ating tandaan sa mata ng Panginoon, pare-pareho lang tayo (Let’s remember that we are all the same in the eyes of God)…The Philippines is one of the most tolerant countries in the world when it comes to gays, pero bakit ayaw natin silang bigyan ng karapatan na patas sa atin? Bakit po gusto lang natin tino-tolerate sila? Ang tunay na patas ay iisa lahat sa ilalim ng batas (but why don’t give them rights that are equal to ours? Why do we just tolerate them? Real equality is all the same under the law). So to the gay community, It’s an honor to be here celebrating with all of you.”

Lustre, King and Tim Yap also shared their messages to the community as well as couple Ice Seguerra and Liza Diño, who sent a video message. 

Other celebrities who joined were Geneva Cruz, Top Suzara of the band Freestyle, Mark Bautista and Nicole Laurel Asencio, who also performed for the community. 

            “No matter what you went through, you are loved through and through,” said Asencio. 

The lineup of performers also included “Tawag ng Tanghalan” alumni Anton Antenorcruz, Raven Heyres, and Saga who sang in their latest collaboration, “Say It Clear, Say It Loud,” which was produced by Boy Abunda; and the band La Crema. Drag performers from O Bar and the House of Ding including house mother and Drag Race Philippines’ first season contestant Brigiding brought energy and vibrance to the stage.

After-parties were held at Dr. Wine, Sanctuary, I’M Hotel Poolside, Sprits Library and other bars in the area.

Different booths and activities (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Heart Evangelista and Karen Davila (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Nadine Lustre (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Nicole Laurel Asensio (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Top Suzara of Freestyle (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Geneva Cruz (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Angie King (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Brigiding (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

La Crema (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The House of Ding (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The queens of O Bar (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

A drag performer from O Bar (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Amsterdam Rainbow Dress Sashays to the Philippines

Amsterdam Rainbow Dress on display at the Trinoma Activity Center in Quezon City (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Aside from garnering a record-breaking attendance, the Philippine LGBTQ+ Pride Month celebration and protest, Love Laban 2 Everyone: Pride PH Festival 2024, had another notable feature—the wearable installation Amsterdam Rainbow Dress, which was brought the country and to Southeast Asia for the first time.

The installation is a dress made of the national flags of countries where being LGBTQ+ or LGBTQ+ acts are illegal, punishable by imprisonment, torture and even death. When a country adopts LGBTQ+ inclusive legislation, its flag is replaced with a rainbow flag. The dress, which has a diameter of over 16 meters or 52 feet, is made up of 68 flags, the bodice made from the city flag of Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. The European country is notable in LGBTQ+ history, being the first to legalize same-sex marriage. 

The Amsterdam Rainbow Dress traces its roots to the Euro Pride/Amsterdam Pride 2016. At the Pride Walk parade held on the opening day on July 30, flags of 75 countries where homosexuality was illegal in 2016 were carried. These flags were afterwards presented to Arnout van Krimpen, Jochem Kaan, Oeri van Woezik and Mattijs van Bergen, who spearheaded the creation of the dress with volunteers from COC Nederland, a LGBTQ+ organization, and the Amsterdam Museum. The Amsterdam Rainbow Dress was unveiled on 5 August 2016. It has been brought to many parts of the world and was used in many art photography projects, with the aim of raising awareness on the global struggle of the marginalized community and of advocating for acceptance and equal rights. 

The Philippines is one of countries that the dress is brought to, bringing more significance to Love Laban 2 Everyone: Pride PH Festival 2024 on June 22, 2024, in Quezon City.

According to organizer Pride PH, a network of LGBTQ+ groups, and the Amsterdam Rainbow Dress Foundation, the “presence of the Amsterdam Rainbow Dress at this year's Pride highlights the international solidarity for LGBTQl+ rights, reminding us that the fight for equality transcends borders.” 

“With the world's eyes on the Philippines, it is imperative that we seize this moment to pass laws that are inclusive of the LGBTQI+ community and persons of diverse SOGIESC (sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics),” they further stated.

An art photography shoot was mounted featuring comedian, actor and host Vice Ganda, one of the most prominent Filipino LGBTQ+ personalities.  The project had Vince Liban, Jap Ignacio and Jaymie Reyes as project managers, and filmmaker and Drag Den creator Rod Singh as creative producer. Vice Ganda was photographed wearing the dress, with one photo showing the Quezon Memorial Shrine in the background, by the duo of Cenon and Mav (Cenon Norial III and Mav Bernardo).

After Love Laban 2 Everyone: Pride PH Festival, the installation was on display at the central atrium of the mall TriNoma in Quezon City on June 25 and 26. It was accompanied by multi-colored panels that showed some highlights in Philippine LGBTQ+ history including the march of a lesbian collective during International Women's Day in 1992; Pro-Gay Philippines’ rally at the Quezon Memorial Circle, called Stonewall Manila, in 1994; the very first Pride March in the Philippines and in Asia in 1996; a gay political party, Ang Ladlad, appeared on the ballot for the first time, fighting for the Anti-Discrimination Bill, in 2010; the Metro Manila Pride March and Festival: Here Together with more than 8,000 attendees in Marikina City the 2017;  the Metro Manila Pride March and Festival: Rise Up Together gathered a historic 25,000 attendees in Marikina City n 2018;  the Metro Manila Pride March and Festival: Resist Together made history with the biggest Pride march attendance in the Philippines with over 70,000 attendees in Marikina City in 2019; and Quezon City holding its first QC Pride March and Festival, attended by about 25,000 people, in 2022. 

            Another set of panels told about the different forms of discrimination and marginalization and challenges that LGBTQ+ people encounter every day and in many areas. 

“The Amsterdam Rainbow Dress not only stands as a powerful symbol of these rights but also celebrates the rich culture and history of the queer community—emphasizing the importance of diversity and acceptance in our society,” organizers said. 

 

The display was accompanied by panels about Philippine LGBTQ+ history and struggles (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Vice Ganda in Amsterdam Rainbow Dress (Photo by Cenon Norial III and Mav Bernardo)

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)!”