Colors and ideas clashed meaningfully as Cebuano changemakers gathered at the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Summit 2025, held at lyf Cebu City. The full-day summit was a collaborative effort powered by the Cebu Pride Movement (CPM), LoveYourself Cebu, Cebu City Youth Development Office (CCYDO), Cebuano Youth Ambassadors Inc. and lyf Cebu.
Held on June 22 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the forum drew in 146 participants representing a diverse cross-section of Cebuano society. From students and youth groups to community-based advocates, government representatives, media and influencers and private companies, these attendees came together to create a dialogue on inclusion.
More than just raising awareness of SOGIESC (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression and Sex Characteristics), the summit aimed to equip participants with concrete tools for advocacy, legal literacy and campaign strategy.
The day opened with a special video greeting from lawyer Regal Oliva, a longtime ally and symbol of LGBTQ+ pride in Cebu.
Lessons from lived experience and law
Opening the summit, Dr. Christian Emmanuel Enriquez led a compelling session on “Understanding SOGIESC: Foundations of Gender and Sexual Diversity.” The message was clear: SOGIESC isn’t just a concept reserved for the LGBTQIA+ community. Everyone has a SOGIESC. The problem, however, is that the term has often been weaponized to further marginalize those already vulnerable.
“We are created in the most sensible and unique way, and no one is alike,” Enriquez said.
Rather than over-defining and over-categorizing, the session called for a return to humanity, a recognition of dignity across all spectrums.
“We’re so stuck trying to construct, identify, define, which should not have been the case. The conversation shouldn’t stay within advocates and allies. Even the everyday person should be able to understand that SOGIESC is not complicated. It’s about being human.” Taking space, the speaker stressed, is an act of resistance. “When we don’t take our space, that’s us agreeing with the practice.”
Following this, lawyer Lorenil Archival, J.D. took the stage with “SOGIESC Rights in Action,” mapping the progress of protective laws from local ordinances to national legislation. Rounding out the morning was psychologist Niel Steve Kintanar, MA, RPsy, who grounded the discussions in the power of inclusion. Kintanar’s talk, “Embracing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion,” asked participants to imagine: “What becomes possible when diversity isn’t just tolerated, but embraced?”
Heart of “Embrace Ko All”
In the afternoon session, aptly titled “Embrace Ko All,” the discussion turned deeply personal. Now on its second run, “Embrace Ko All” is a fixture program of the CPM, offering a safe space for stories that highlight the human realities behind policies and rights.
Moderated by Enrique San Juan, the panel “Lived Realities of Inclusion and Exclusion” featured multi-hyphenate artist Jude Gitamondoc, drag artist Girl and queerpreneur Kristina “Tsing” Seno. The three shared powerful accounts of navigating exclusion in their daily lives, from microaggressions in the workplace to barriers in education.
Their stories gave emotional context to legal terms and theories, reminding everyone that beyond policy, this movement is about people.
The summit then shifted into action. Ramon Matthew Basabe led “Voice of the Cause,” a crash course in marketing and public relations that helps participants shape compelling campaigns.
San Juan returned with “Building Bridges,” underscoring the importance of collaboration and partnerships in sustaining long-term impact. Both talks laid the groundwork for the culminating workshop session, where participants conceptualized campaigns and DEI initiatives designed to be actionable within their own communities.
Pledges, performances and pride
The day wrapped up with a Solidarity Pledge, collectively read by participants, affirming a commitment to carry the DEI values forward beyond the event.
As a final act of celebration, Paul Pablo took the stage in a powerful performance of queer joy and resistance. It was a reminder that Pride is protest, but it is also a celebration of life. The program also teased the upcoming Mr. Gay Sugbo Pageant, continuing the momentum of representation in public culture. Roy Krisanto Tupag, project head of DEI Summit 2025 and co-founder of CPM, had the closing remarks to mark the end of the summit — and the beginning of a bigger mission at hand.