PRIDE MONTH 2025

Vice President Sara Duterte led Kasarilayaan 2025, the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) annual Pride reception, held this Wednesday, June 25, in San Fernando City, Pampanga. Former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo also joined the event, which celebrates Pride Month and honors ongoing efforts toward inclusivity, equality, and empowerment of the LGBTQIA+ community.

During the event, Vice President Duterte pushed for the creation of a commission specifically focused on catering to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA) community. This initiative builds on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 2023 order to form a committee aimed at strengthening existing mechanisms to address discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community. However, advocates had previously welcomed that committee’s creation but noted it lacked sufficient representation from civil society and the LGBTQIA+ community itself.

Duterte, in her speech, highlighted the OVP’s ongoing review of legislative measures and policies needed to further promote LGBTQIA+ rights. “To ensure these policies are not just passed but effectively implemented, we advocate for the creation of a National LGBTQIA+ Commission,” she announced. She proposed that this commission would serve as the lead agency and policy-making body for programs, particularly those for vulnerable sectors like LGBTQIA+ youth who often face rejection, school dropout, and homelessness, and including those affected by HIV.

The OVP also expressed support for a bill recognizing same-sex unions as “legal relationships for same sex couples and granting rights in areas like inheritance, adoption and social security.” Additionally, Duterte advocated for the establishment of “half-way homes” for LGBTQIA individuals in distress and called for “more extensive implementation to address gender-based harassment especially with evolving technologies.”

Duterte shared that her non-discriminatory view of the LGBTQIA community stems from her upbringing in the 1980s, where her parents always treated her gay uncle without prejudice. She also noted that 40 percent of the beneficiaries of the OVP’s “Mag-Negosyo Ka ‘Day” program are LGBTQIA persons.

Former President Arroyo, in her attendance, demonstrated support for the Vice President, who is currently facing impeachment complaints and corruption charges. In her speech, Arroyo acknowledged the significant progress of the LGBTQIA+ equality movement, stating, “The movement for equality for LGBTQIA+ has come a long way… That’s why this Pride Month is a good reminder from us elders for you to realize how far your struggle has reached. Although there are still many shortcomings.” She also referenced the late Pope Francis’s statement that homosexuality is not a crime, affirming that God loves all His children “just as they are,” and thanked the OVP and Vice President Sara for championing the community’s rights.

Vice President Duterte concluded her address by calling upon lawmakers, civil society partners, and every Filipino to join in this crucial endeavor to “transform our aspirations into concrete laws, building a Philippines where every single person can live with dignity, security, and pride. Together, let us lift and uplift LGBTQIA+ voices, enrich dialogue, and strengthen our collective calls for equality and inclusion within Philippine society.” The event collectively underscored the importance of every voice, every color, and every story in shaping a more compassionate and inclusive society.