25 days to go

Before the 2009 Manila Pride March that is. The countdown has already started. Would you dare March? Do you even care?



I hope so. Thousands others like you will be there. Show your pride. Come to Malate on December 5. To join/volunteer and for updates click here.

See you there!

Manila Pride season has begun!

Here is the first press release from Task Force Pride (TFP) Philippines, the official network that organizes the yearly TLBG Pride March in Manila. I volunteered to handle some PR work for this year's TFP after coordinating last year's march. Our new membership coordinator in STRAP, Gia Alessandra Nolasco is our official rep to the network while last year's Marketing and Finance Head, Dee Mendoza, our outgoing STRAP chair, is doing marketing work for the 2009 Manila Pride March. She designed the teasers and posters of this year's Pride Parade, one of which you can see below.



Like previous Pride Parades, the 2009 Manila PrideMarch, scheduled to take place on Saturday, 5 December 2009 in Malate, promises to gather thousands of Transgender Lesbian Bisexual and Gay (TLBG) Filipinosand foreigners alike, including their friends, families, loved ones and supporters in one massive and colorful parade that will rival the biggest Pride Marches around the world, from London to Paris; San Francisco to New York; from Tokyo to Taipei.

Organized by Task Force Pride (TFP) Philippines, the 2009 Manila Pride March carries the theme We Dare We Care (WDWC), the slogan of a solidarity and consciousness-raising campaign launched by, for and of TLBG organizations seeking to unify the local TLBG community and working to raise the awareness of Philippine society about the needs, issues and concerns facing them through different activities including the Pride March.

Show that you care for our community by daring to march with Pride! It is the only day out of the year that our community can shine together as one. Everybody is encouraged to march in shimmering splendid silver on December 5! To join/volunteer and for updates, visit www.taskforcepride.blogspot.com.

Also, attend the Pride March Kick-Off party on Thursday, 5 November 2009 at the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) Chapel, 3rdFloor, 56 Mindanao Avenue, QC . For more details text/call Rev. CeejayAgbayani at 09195009098 or email him via rev.ceejay@yahoo. com.

See you there!

We Dare We Care campaign launch

Last night, 24 October 2009, Saturday, I attended the launch of We Dare, We Care (WDWC), a campaign that seeks to mobilize and unite the local TLBG community and raise Philippine society's awareness of the issues facing TLBG Filipinos.

The dress code was black and white which explains why I was dressed like I was last night (see pic below).



It was a well-attended affair and many people showed up (see pic below). WDWC was originally conceived by various organizations including Single Guys Online, Metropolitan Community Church Quezon City, Iftas (which means light and is a TLBG coven), Rainbow Bloggers Philippines, Gay, Transgender and Bisexual Advocates for Youth (GABAY),and OutPhilippines.



The organizers created a video of selected people who embodied the spirit of daring and caring for the TLBG community and they showed it during the program. I was one of those selected. After the video presentation, we were called in front to give a solidarity message (see pic below). My message centered on transgender people who exercise their right to define their gender identity because they CARE about a person's right to self-determination.



I have high hopes for this campaign because the launch is just the start. The TLBG groups involved in the campaign have an exciting goal they want to reach next year. I want to surprise you all with that if it does push through. In the mean time, congratulations to all the groups that have come together for the good of all TLBG Filipinos. After the ceremonies, the girls decided to cap the night off with coffee and pastries at a nearby Starbucks where we discussed what happened during the launch and what more needs to be done in terms of pushing for greater trans involvement and visibility in the campaign. It was agreed that it will be a good idea to hold Trans 101 workshops for free with all the organizations involved in the campaign. I hope we will be able to find the time and resources do this soon.