IDAHOT Events 2015: Philippines

In the Philippines, the Association of Transgenders in the Philippines added their voice to the global celebrations and the National Council of Churches in the Philippines released a IDAHOT Statement.

[box type=”note” ]We are still busy collecting information on this year’s IDAHOT activities and are waiting to hear back from activists and event organisers. If you have information to share with us, please write us at contact@dayagainsthomophobia.org[/box]
Announcement before May 17:

This year, The ‘traditional’ Grand LGBTS Flores de Mayo will be held at the Covered Court in Brgy Krus na Ligas in Quezon City
Grand Flores de Mayo Pride (or SaGaylahan Festival) is a mobile event comprised of a parade around the area and a final program of award winning, speeches from supporters and music.
In the past years, the main participants were the Sagalistas – persons in flowery gowns parading alone or accompanied by male-identified escorts known as the Konsortes. Each Sagalista is encouraged to have either a canopy or an arch designed by each participating group with a statement for social awareness and call for acceptance and/or with the title of the Sagalista e.g. Reyna Elena, Reyna Emperatriz, Reyna Delas Flores.
Find out more about the organisers on their website and about passed Grand Flores de Mayo Prides here.
LBTS Christian Church INC is lead by Rev. Crescencio ‘Ceejay” Agbayani Jr. and is an independent, free church for the LGBT community in the Philippines and in Asia.

The Association of Transgender People in the Philippines (ATP) had prepared for two events this year. One was held in Cebu City on May 17 and the grand celebration on May 23 held in Quezon city, Metro Manila. Together with Gender Proud, the Human Rights Campaign and Arcus Foundation they had a big event on May 16 with a fitting country celebration of IDAHOT 2015 by a simple collective “silent protest” or demonstration to up the ante in the clamor for the passage of local and national anti-discrimination legislation and policy to protect LGBTs in the Philippines.
This event included a “Call for Action” to raise transgender rights awareness and campaign to stop transgender-related violence and discrimination in all parts of the country.
Facebook post on ATP page on May 17

Last year, ATP led the IDAHOT country celebrations with a groundbreaking event called “TransSantacruzan”. That was the very first march where over 80 equally beautiful trans beauty queens paraded on the streets of QC to dramatize their campaign for freedom of expression.
Today, Gender Proud and the Association of Transgender People in the Philippines, along with the Arcus Foundation and Human Rights Campaign (HRC) together with our partner organizations TG Colors, Bisdak Pride, HAPI, Rainbow Rights-Cebu, Moovz LGBT Social Network and Transmen for Equality and Awareness Movement (TEAM) including individual allies, “STAND UP” against transphobia and homophobia.
We stand in solidarity with the whole world as we celebrate the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) today, May 17, 2015. We find it fitting and proper to collectively “Call for Action” to affirmatively respond to cases of hate crimes and gender-based violence especially against trans individuals in the Philippines and in places around the world where gender non-conforming people don’t have free and secure space to thrive and be who they are.
To all those LGBTs who suffer discrimination and violence, we would lke you to know that we share your struggle and we stand alongside with you!
STOP TRANSPHOBIA AND HOMOPHOBIA NOW!!!

Announcement before May 17 (Update coming soon):
Also in Quezon City the LGBT student group Up Babaylan will hold a special live art and spoken word event at the Moonleaf Tea Shop. The event, entitled ‘Things Left Unspoken … A Homo Erotica Event’, will feature live performance, art and spoken word themed around LGBT issues.

This year’s Homo Erotica focuses on sentiments and ideas that we were too afraid to say out loud, the what ifs and could have beens. The LGBT community empathizes with the theme because of our hesitation to tell everyone what we want and who we are because of fear, stigma and discrimination.

In partnership with UP Graphic, Words Anonymous, and WABS Printing & Equipment Rentals
Live art with Tokwa Peñaflorida and animator Chi Jihan. Spoken Words from Chad de Guzman, and Juan Miguel Rivera Severo, Salome Orbeta, Louise Meets, and Henri Joshua Igna from Words Anonymous. And performances from Xavier and Zari Bilon, and Lance Jericho Reblando.

For more information on the event visit the official Facebook event page.

The Task Force Pride (TFP) Philippines, Project Red Ribbon, and FEIST Magazine joined the global call to “Stand for LGBTQI Youth: Fight for Visibility, Respect, and Equality.”

Join us this Sunday, May 17 | 2PM at the Liwasang Aurora Quezon City Memorial Circlefor an empowering afternoon where we call on members of the community, our families, friends, allies, and our local government to help us make the Philippines a safe space for all LGBTQI Filipinos. Let us fight for the right to love and the freedom to be.
With musical performances by Cara Decenteceo, spoken word performances by Jamie delos Reyes of White Wall Poetry, Cha Roque of DAKILA, Mitch Alcantara, Luis Batchoy, and more. Plus an ecumenical service by the Philippine Network of Metropolitan Community Churches and National Council of Churches in the Philippines.
We will also have the IDAHOT solidarity march together with the solidarity concert for the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial 2015 led by KZ Tandingan, Rachel Alejandro, Jonalyn Viray, and other special guests.

The event was a joined commemoration of IDAHOT and the International Candlelight Aids Memorial. Find more details here.
Also in Quezon City at 2pm on Sunday, the event “Speak Your Truth: A Solidarity Concert for IDAHOT & IACM in the Philippines”
In Mandaue in the province of Cebu, On May 16, Saturday 2015, the Association of Transgender People in the Philippines and Gender Proud together with the Human Rights Campaign and Arcus Foundation ended a big LGBT event with a fitting country celebration of IDAHOT 2015 by a simple collective “silent protest” or demonstration to up the ante in the clamor for the passage of local and national anti-discrimination legislation and policy to afford protection to LGBTs in the Philippines.
This event was also be a “Call for Action” to raise transgender rights awareness and campaign to stop transgender-related violence and discrimination in all parts of the country.

SANGGUNIANG PAMBANSA NG MGA SIMBAHAN SA PILIPINAS
National Council of Churches in the Philippines
Celebrating 50 years of ecumenical obedience and witness

Statement for International AIDS Candlelighting Memorial and International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia

On this twin occasion of International AIDS Candlelighting Memorial (IACM) and International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) on May 17, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) calls us and all to prayer. We remember those who have died of AIDS. Even as we do we celebrate that through the years important lessons have been drawn to curb the rise of HIV transmission and AIDS-related deaths. The HIV/AIDS & ART Registry of the Department of Health reported that the combined statistics of homosexual and bisexual contact comprise 68% of the modes of HIV transmission among children and adolescents from January 1984 to March 2015. This unfortunately has reinforced the misconception among Filipinos that HIV and AIDS are diseases only of gays, bisexuals, transgender people, and other males who have sex with males. At NCCP, we clarify this misconception by recognizing that HIV risk is about risky behaviors and environments and not about people’s sexual orientation or gender identity and expression. The prevailing culture of homophobia and transphobia creates a risky environment that increases vulnerabilty to HIV. We confess that our faith expressions have contributed to the spread of HIV and of AIDS by our approach to gender, sex and sexuality. This contributed to homophobia and transphobia leading to the marginalization and “othering” of LGBT people. The result is the stigma and discrimination of LGBT people that in turn force them to live double lives and nurture chronically negative self-images. This negative self-image leads to risky behaviour with fatal results. This marginalization creates a disabling environment that affects gravely the LGBT’s uptake of services associated with HIV and to have the right to lead productive and healthy lives. In joining these observances we celebrate the 1990 decision of the World Health Organization to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder. We also celebrate the efforts of mental health organizations in the country to remove the stigma of mental illness which has long been associated with diverse sexualities and to promote the well-being of LGBT people since then.