City commemorates 20th anniversary of the first pride in the Philippines
More than 4,000 members and supporters of the LGBTI community took to the streets of Quezon City on Saturday (13 December) for the city’s first pride parade.
The event commemorated the 20th anniversary of the first pride in the Philippines and was a ‘pet project’ of the recently formed Quezon City Pride Council (QCPC).
‘Our main goal is to deliver the message of equality,’ Jeffklein Glodove, secretariat of QCPC told GMA News Online.
‘QCPC defines equality in all aspect of life. Equality in the workplace, social services, and delivery of goods without any discrimination regardless of gender identity and sexual orientation.’
The theme of the event was equality in celebration of the passage of the Anti-Discrimination Ordinance in Quezon City that eyes to protect LGBT people from discrimination and abuse.
‘The Quezon City local government believes in equality as stated in our constitution, said mayor Herbert Bautista in a statement.
The anti-discrimination ordinance is a testament to this commitment in ensuring equality… rest assured this will be implemented in all 142 barangays [wards] in Quezon City.’
The pride parade was attended by more than 100 LGBTI groups as well as student and people’s organizations, party-list groups and representatives of barangays in the city.
The program started with a candle-lighting cermony for HIV/AIDS victims, followed by a speech by Bautista and the awarding of best float and the Pride March LBGT Rainbow Award.
by Darren Wee
Source – Gay Star News
