HUNDREDS of people join the LGBTQ+ Pride March in Bacolod City to show solidarity and celebrate pride month on Saturday, June 22.
A pre-march program in the early afternoon filled the Old Bacolod City Hall with colorful flags and music. Hundreds of people, dressed in unique, vibrant clothing, gathered in glee as they were waiting to march on for the LGBTQ+ community.
This year’s pride parade was organized by a team of young LGBTQ+ advocates, the three leaders including Girard Mariano Lopez, Junius Dale G. Capus, and Joshua Villalobos. As the event started, Lopez gathered all participants to bow their heads onto a prayer.
“We are all gathered here today for the main purpose; to preach love, to preach acceptance, and to preach for a world barren of hatred and discrimination. Oh Almighty One, please give us the strength to stand up in a world where we have so been wronged. To be compassionate even though others have wronged us ... We are grateful to be able to... fight for those who cannot and those who suffer,” Lopez said.
The parade was centered in honoring the 50th anniversary of the Stone Wall riots, one of the first LGBTQ+ protests in modern history. A protest that would pave the way for the entire LGBT movement across the world for the rest of time.
The youth organizers also hosted representatives from different groups, including the Akbayan Citizens Party, Gabriela Women’s Party, and Kabataan Partylist, to give inspiring words to all the members of the LBGTQ community in Bacolod.
Bacolod City Councilor Wilson Gamboa at the gathering said, “This Pride month isn’t just about rainbows and festivities; for me, in my own layman point of view, I define it as simply accepting who you are, your uniqueness and individuality as a person. This is a celebration of your diversity – so you can shout out and tell the whole wide world that: ‘This is who I am and I am proud of that!’”
Charisse Erinn Flores, representative of Akbayan Party from Roxas City, said, “The reason I came here is because I needed to express myself, as an LGBT, as a bisexual. Bacolod is very lucky enough to have Pride parade marches like this.”
“It’s nice to see everyone. I want to say that you are all beautiful in your own way. If you’re not ready to come out of the closet yet, that’s fine. But if you are ready, shout it out with all your heart and just be who you are,” she added.
As all the participants quickly clutched their posters and LGBTQ flags, a truck with the rainbow-colored flag of the LGBTQ+ community began to lead the march.
The LGBTQ+ community marched onward. From Old City Hall it culminated at Tippy’s Bistro at 10th and Lacson Streets.