Pride Parade in Cebu City set

Local

AS THE fight for equality continues nationwide, members of the LGBTQIA+ community in Cebu are preparing to take to the streets for the Cebu City Pride Parade 2025 on Friday, June 28.

Organized by the Cebu Pride Movement, the parade is set to begin and end at Plaza Independencia with an expected crowd of 15,000 to 20,000 people, based on estimates from the group’s organizer John Michael Remollo.

Assembly is scheduled at 3 p.m., with the route winding through major downtown streets including M.C. Briones, D. Jakosalem, P. Del Rosario, T. Padilla, and M.J. Cuenco before looping back to the plaza.

This marks the second official year of the citywide parade, though Remollo clarified that they have been organizing Pride-related events since 2023, when they launched a grassroots initiative starting with an opening program at the LoveYourself White House.

He said that year’s unexpected turnout encouraged the team to scale up its efforts.

LoveYourself is a community-based nonprofit in the Philippines that offers free HIV testing, treatment, mental health services, and safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ individuals.

“We didn’t expect that many people,” Remollo said. From a simple opening event came the realization that there was a need for a stronger, more unified LGBTQIA+ movement in the city.

As a response, the group developed a centralized calendar of events for Cebu, aiming to link scattered initiatives and increase visibility and public participation.

Since then, the Cebu Pride Movement has expanded to include not just LGBTQIA+ organizations, but also partners from business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, barangays, and private corporations.

Groups who wish to join the parade this year, especially those with floats or contingents, were required to register in advance to ensure safety and coordination.

Remollo said this growing coalition reflects a significant shift in Cebu’s LGBTQIA+ advocacy.

Remollo reiterated that "pride" is not just a celebration, but a protest for survival, safety, and recognition.

The march, he added, serves as both a symbol of visibility and a vehicle for concrete demands, including the passage of the SOGIE Equality Bill, stronger anti-discrimination policies, and public education on inclusive health services.

A Pride rooted in protest

Remolle emphasized that Pride remains a protest. While the event has celebratory elements, it is ultimately grounded in a struggle against discrimination, invisibility, and exclusion.

Remollo said that many LGBTQIA+ individuals in Cebu still face rejection in their homes, harassment in public spaces, and limited access to health care and legal protection.

He pointed out that despite the increasing visibility of queer Filipinos, legal safeguards remain lacking on the national level.

Remollo said the parade is more than symbolic—it is a platform to assert demands, as the fight continues against violence, discrimination, and silencing of voices.

"This is also a rally. Rally calling for the passage of Sogie (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression) Bill and to promote equality," he said.

The Sogie Equality Bill is a proposed Philippine law that seeks to prohibit discrimination based on Sogie in areas such as education, employment, healthcare, and public services.

First filed in 2000, it has passed the House but remains stalled in the Senate due to political and religious opposition.

Addressing HIV stigma

One of the main advocacies highlighted in this year’s Pride is the need to break the stigma around HIV, which continues to be a major public health issue in the Philippines.

Remollo said that the movement wants to challenge the misconception that HIV only affects LGBTQIA+ people.

He stressed that anyone can be at risk, and that better education and access to testing must be made widely available, especially among youth and rural communities.

HIV testing and awareness booths will be present at the parade and succeeding events, supported by community organizations such as Love Yourself PH and allied health advocates.

These efforts aim to promote safer sex practices, free testing services, and early treatment.

Data from the Department of Health (DOH) shows that the Philippines remains one of the countries with the fastest-growing HIV epidemics in the Asia-Pacific region.

In Cebu, local health offices have acknowledged rising HIV cases, particularly among young people, making awareness campaigns through events like Pride even more urgent.

Community fair and unity

Remollo said, following the march, parade-goers will converge back at Plaza Independencia for “Gaksa Ko Bhe!”, a community convergence featuring booths from LGBTQIA+ organizations, interactive activities, giveaways, and information drives.

The event will serve as a safe space for queer individuals and their allies to connect, learn, and celebrate in a supportive environment.

Remollo said the community fair reflects the warmth and unity of Cebu’s LGBTQIA+ sector.

More than a gathering, it is intended to affirm inclusion and show solidarity among various gender identities and expressions.

Adding more excitement to the festival, the movement also announced “The Biggest Pride Picnic” on June 29, a cultural celebration featuring volunteer DJs, ballroom performers, and, for the first time, a collaborative drag show by Cebu’s three leading drag houses.

This includes drag artists from Cave Cebu Drag Bar, as well as groups like the Cebu Divettes and the Haus of Renaissance.

Remollo said this would mark the first time the three drag groups would share a stage at a Pride event.

The show is expected to highlight Cebu’s diverse queer culture and the unity that has grown within the drag community, which has often been fragmented in the past.

Corporate allies and public access

Aside from advocacy and performance, the parade will also be supported by private sector partners offering exclusive Pride perks. McDonald’s Philippines will revive its “Hugs for Burgers” campaign, giving participants a free burger in exchange for hugging a Queerfluencer during the march.

The ride hailig app Angkas Cebu is also supporting the event by offering discounted rides using the code "CEBUPRIDE2025", valid from June 27 to 29 for trips to or from Plaza Independencia and Cebu I.T. Park.

The Cebu City Pride Parade 2025 forms part of the broader Cebu Pride Festival, a city-wide initiative that promotes visibility, advocacy, and inclusivity.

Remollo said it is expected to be one of the largest LGBTQIA+ parades outside Metro Manila this year.

The capital is known to organize the country's largest Pride event "LoveLaban" in Quezon City, which is also slated on Saturday.(MyTVCebu)