“RESPETO LANG.”
Thus said mayoral candidate, Manila Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna, as she led the first leg of the celebration of the “Manila Summer Pride”, with a float parade competition for the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) community in the city.
“Dito sa Maynila, mayroon tayong City Ordinance 8695 na tahasang nagbibigay ng proteksyon at kalinga sa nasabing sektor. Kumikilala sa kanilang mga talento, kakayahan at kagalingan bilang mahalagang bahagi ng lipunan,” Lacuna, who was joined by vice mayoral candidate Congressman Yul Servo, said.
In her speech, Lacuna said the city government under the stewardship of Mayor Isko Moreno-Lacuna tandem is of the belief that everybody is entitled to equal rights and opportunities, regardless of gender or sexual preferences.
“Ang pagkakapantay-pantay ay hindi tungkol sa pagtingin sa iba’t ibang bagay nang magkatulad, bagkus ito ay tungkol sa pagtanggap sa iba’t ibang mga bagay na talaga naman may pagkaka-iba iba. Respeto lang!”, she said, citing that in Manila, many important positions are being held by those belonging to the LGBT community.
‘Walang dibisyon, iisa ang direkyon. Maraming salamat po sa ating punong lungsod Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso at sa Department of Tourism, Culture and Arts of Manila (DTCAM), na pinamumunuan ni Charlie Duñgo, na nanguna sa pagdiriwang na ito, sa pakikipagtulungan ng Bekshie ng Maynila,” the vice mayor added.
participation of Cong. Yul Servo, Liga ng mga Barangay President Lei Lacuna and the principal author of the said ordinance, Councilor JTV Villanueva, in making the event a success.
“Naniniwala ako bilang isang Ina na kahit sino ka pa, kahit ano ka pa, may puwang ka sa mundo, may silbi ka sa mundo. Basta’t ang pananaw natin sa buhay ay wala tayong tinatapakan, wala tayong pinagsasamantalahan, may paggalang tayo sa karapatan ng bawat isa at may pananagutan tayo sa malayang pamumuhay,” Lacuna said.
Dungo said that “the Manila Summer Pride (MSP) was the first Pride celebration organized by the City Government of Manila and we are honored to host this historical event.”
MSP was presented as a celebration of LGBTQ+ milestones rather than a political campaign calling for unity and equality. An LGBTQ+ gathering like MSP signifies a strong political stand to call for unity and equality.
“In this event, we established MSP as the culminating activity of the year that has passed and all of the battles that the LGBTQ+ community has won. The LGBTQ+ deserves a gathering to celebrate their identity. We have millions of LGTBQ+ in the Philippines and we need more space to celebrate them. The MSP stands as an event celebrating these people,” Dungo added.
Through the said event which is also part of the 450th Founding Anniversary of the City of Manila, Dungo said the city was able to introduce space for celebration and unity, a space for the LGBTQ+ to put their fights aside for a moment to look back and celebrate how far they have gone. (Baby Cuevas)
