Tuguegarao City’s Pride Parade calls for a more progressive local community

CAGAYAN, Philippines – Pride celebrations are no longer new in the Philippines. Annually, the biggest and most prominent cities in the country mount colorful and vibrant parades, concerts, and protests to commemorate Pride Month.

While these large celebrations enjoy the mainstream spotlight, it is also worth exploring the unique character and significance of Pride celebrations in the provinces, where progress toward acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community is lagging and still far from ideal.

In the northern Philippines, about 12 hours away from the country’s capital Manila, a coalition of LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies is just starting to create more spaces that are safer and inclusive in their local communities and amplify advocacies that matter to them.

Unifying force

It started with a joke, an unexpected idea to form an organization. It was 2020, and while the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world, it was also a time when doors began opening for members of the rainbow community in Tuguegarao City. That year, the Tuguegarao United for Gender and Universal Equality (TUGUE) was born.

“The history of TUGUE organization, it started way back in 2020. Some of the LGBTQ+ members, when they started it, they said, ‘Why don’t we create an organization for LGBTQ+?’ It seemed like a joke until they made it happen. Then, the pandemic came, and that’s when they became passionate and active, they valued the organization more,” Christian Cabalza, the organization’s current president, said in a mix of English and Filipino.

With newfound purpose, according to Cabalza, the members of the organization were among the first to extend help during the COVID-19 pandemic, initiating donation drives and making significant contributions in their city.

“They risked their lives because some of the members were part of the medical field, mga nurses, pati mga may businesses tumulong din (nurses and those with businesses also helped out),” he recalled.

Then, in 2022, the idea of a local Pride celebration sprouted, setting the stage for the biggest and most colorful Pride celebration in the entire Cagayan province.

Despite their political alignments and differences, Cabalza said that all LGBTQ+ members in Tuguegarao City always unite during Pride celebrations.

“Although, hindi naman 100% [ang support], because of course, hindi natin maiaalis na although members sila ng LGBTQ+ but because of politics, nagkakahiwalay. Pero kapag ganitong mga events naman, nagiging as one kami, nagbubuklod-buklod pa rin kami,” said Cabalza, who started serving as TUGUE president in 2021.

(Although it’s not 100%, because of course, we can’t get rid of the fact that although they are LGBTQ+ members, politics could get in the way. But when it comes to events like this, we become as one, we come together.)

“That’s what we call ‘love wins’ despite all colors,” Cabalza added.

Celebrating contributions

Tuguegarao City is “still in a stage of tolerance toward the LGBTQ+” community, according to John Escobar, a current member and former president of nongovernment organization JCI Tuguegarao Ybanag, which is one of the organizers behind the annual local Pride celebration.

“It has progressed compared to what they have been experiencing in the past, but we’re still not in the place where we want to be where they are fully accepted,” Escobar said.

“Meron pa rin kasing stigma against them. Meron pa rin ‘yung ‘Sige, okay lang naman mag-celebrate ka, pero p’wede bang tone down?’ ‘Yung mga ganoong klaseng salita is still not acceptance,” he added.

(Because there is still a stigma against them. There are still remarks like, ‘Sure, it’s okay to celebrate, but can you tone it down?’ Remarks like those do not show acceptance.)

This is why it is important to have celebrations in the provinces and smaller cities — for people “to appreciate Pride,” Escobar said.

Aside from exposing the local community to what Pride really is, Escobar also highlighted Pride celebrations as a way for them to recognize the contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals in the development of their locality.

“We had a number of members in JCI Tuguegarao Ybanag that [had] contributed so much in community building, in projects that are good for Tuguegarao City. And I think Pride is the way to celebrate their contributions,” said Escobar, who was the president of JCI Tuguegarao Ybanag from 2017 to 2019.

“Ang mithiin natin ay hindi lang maging tolerant ang Tuguegarao City (Our goal is for Tuguegarao City to be not just tolerant), but for us to celebrate also and accept that no matter what their gender is, they have something to contribute [to] the development of booming cities like Tuguegarao City,” Escobar added.

Pride Parade

Now in its fourth year, the Tuguegarao City Pride Parade colored the city’s streets with rainbow hues despite the gloomy skies on Saturday, June 28.

As early as 4 pm, members of the LGBTQ+ community not just in Tuguegarao but also from its neighboring towns assembled at Rizal Park, where the march started, and proceeded to the Mamba Gymnasium for the drag race competition at 6 pm.

Among those who participated were longtime partners Daisy Pedralvez and Ma. Jessa Marte, who have been together for 14 years.

The couple, who came from Metro Manila and went back home to Tuguegarao City, said that the acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals in the province is far from ideal compared to what they experienced while living in Las Piñas City.

“Importante talaga na magkaroon tayo ng ganitong celebrations kasi here sa province, hindi tayo gaanong pinapansin tsaka parang mas malaki ‘yung discrimination dito kasi less open-minded ang mga tao. Dapat talaga, yearly na magkaroon ng ganitong celebrations para mas ma-expose tayo sa mga tao here sa province,” said Marte.

(These celebrations are important because, here in the province, we are not paid much attention, and there is more discrimination here because people are less open-minded. We should really hold these celebrations yearly to become more exposed to people in the province.)

For Marte and Pedralvez, joining the Pride Parade was not just for the sake of participation. They were there to support a cause that matters not just to them, but also to their fellow LGBTQ+ couples.

They hope that Tuguegarao City will soon become as progressive as the major cities in the country by adopting programs that cater to the needs and recognize the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals.

“Although supportive naman ang LGU (local government unit) ng Tuguegarao City, pero sana i-adopt din ‘yung kung ano ‘yung nagagawa or nangyayari sa kasalukuyan sa Quezon City, gaya nung right to care card,” Marte said.

(Although the Tuguegarao City LGU is supportive, we hope it also adopts initiatives similar to Quezon City’s, like the right to care card.)

The “right to care” card is one of the projects of the Quezon City government under Mayor Joy Belmonte dedicated to the LGBTQ+ couples in the city. Through this, LGBTQ+ couples are given the right to make health-related decisions on behalf of each other.

“We are not after naman sa marriage; married na kami through a ceremony. Ang after lang namin is — kapag halimbawa lang na mapasa ang SOGIESC equality bill — ‘yung relationship namin in case of [hospitalization], iho-honor ka as a partner na magbantay at mag-decide para sa partner mo,” said Marte, who married Pedralvez in a ceremony in Bacoor City, Cavite, in 2019.

(We are not after marriage; we’re already married through a ceremony. What we’re after is — for example, if they pass the SOGIESC equality bill — you are honored as a partner who can care and decide for your partner in case of hospitalization.)

“‘Yung mga properties na maiiwan natin: Siyempre nagsama kayo at na-acquire ‘nyo ‘yung lahat ng meron kayo during your relationship, maganda na i-honor ‘yung partner natin in case na mawala tayo at maiwan sila,” she added.

(The properties you would leave behind: Of course, since you were together and you acquired them together during your relationship, it would be good for your partner to be honored.)

When asked how they felt about attending the Pride Parade as a couple, Pedralvez said: “Masaya siya. Masarap nga maglakad e at ipakita na, ‘Hey, guys, it’s us! Look at us na mabubuti kaming mga tao na kahit LGBTQ+ couple kami ay nagtatagal kami.‘”

(It brings us joy. It’s good to be walking out here to show that, ‘Hey, guys, it’s us! Look at us — we’re good people, and LGBTQ+ relationships like ours also last long.)

Just like LGBTQ+ individuals across the country, members of the community in Tuguegarao City only want their rights to be recognized and their stories to be told and heard.

“May nakakalungkot na mga kuwento, may mga hindi pa tanggap, may mga nakakaiyak, may mga nakakatuwa, may mga masarap pakinggan. The different stories of the LGBTQ+, it only shows na sobrang makulay talaga. All we’re asking na lagi rin naman naming sinasabi ay just ‘love wins.’ Mapagmahal kami, mapagmahal tayo. Respetuhin ‘nyo kami at rerespetuhin namin kayo,” Cabalza said.

(There are sad stories, and there are also happy ones. The different stories of the LGBTQ+ only show that it’s truly colorful. All we’re asking — and what we always say — is just ‘love wins.’ We are loving people. Respect us, and we will respect you.) – Rappler.com

Roland Andam Jr. is a BS Accountancy student at Cagayan State University-Andrews Campus. An Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow of Rappler for 2025, he is also the editor in chief of The CSU Communicator.