Rainbow flags dominated the festive ground under the murky sky that burst in a downpour on June 28. At that moment at the University of the Philippines Diliman, Lov3Laban 2025 became more than a drenched march on campus: It was both declaration and living proof of Pride. The rain transformed the biggest festival of the...
Category: Diversity
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Pageant powerhouse Philippines makes its mark in Miss Supranational tilt
The Philippines again asserted its reputation as an international pageant powerhouse when not just one but two Filipino women earned podium placements in the recently-concluded Miss Supranational pageant held in Poland: first runner-up Anna Lakrini and third runner-up Tarah Valencia. Lakrini and Valencia advanced to the final round of the competition held in Nowy Sącz,...
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Solidarity festivals push LGBTQIA+ rights for love, dignity, and freedom
As Pride Month nears its end on June 30, LGBTQIA+ communities and their supporters will hold festivals, marches, solidarity programs and other activities in major cities nationwide. At the heart of the celebrations is the Lov3Laban sa Diliman 2025, the flagship festival of Pride PH, scheduled at the University of the Philippines Diliman on June...
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Mindanao aces the Philippines’ longest running beauty pageant
After Luzon swept the top spots in the 60th Binibining Pilipinas pageant last year, Mindanao aced the 2025 competition and snagged the two crowns at stake with a runner-up placement to boot. Katrina Anne Johnson from Davao and Annabelle Mae McDonnell from Iligan City were crowned Bb. Pilipinas International and Bb. Pilipinas Globe, respectively, at...
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The Philippines’ first Miss Grand International finds her ‘very specific moment’
The Philippines has added another crown to its growing collection of international beauty accolades: the once-elusive Miss Grand International title that Christine Juliane “CJ” Opiaza received, albeit belatedly. The Filipino “pasarela” (pageant walk) coach was crowned as the official Miss Grand International 2024 queen at the MGI Hall of Bravo BKK in Bangkok, Thailand, on...
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A national issue: Men can and should do care work, expert says in Oxfam Pilipinas forum
Let’s get the definition straight: Care work is care giving and domestic work—cleaning, cooking, as well as caring for children, the elderly, family members, people with disabilities, and even pets—that’s largely unpaid. And Filipino women have been getting short shrift for the longest time when it comes to care work. Dr. Macario Jusayan, the chief...
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For the Philippines’ Alexie Brooks, Miss Eco International 2025, victory is ‘from the heart’
Alexie Brooks’ victory in the Miss Eco International 2025 pageant was nothing short of groundbreaking. Not only was she the first black woman to represent the Philippines in the global tilt, she was also the first black winner in the contest’s 10-year run. The Ilonggo national athlete has championed authenticity in an industry that many...
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Women politicians claim their space in male-dominated public governance
Councilor Joanne Valdez of Candon City, Ilocos Sur, is not spared the challenges that beset many female officials in local government units in the Philippines, where politics is strongly marked by machismo. “During my first term, I was subjected to catcalling during a photoshoot, and I heard my male colleagues placing bets on me. I...
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There’s a treasure trove where indigenous music, culture and history meet
James Dan Gazmin looks back at the days when he and his two friends formed a chapter of Paggawisan Tako Am-in at the University of the Philippines Diliman (Pagta-UPD) in October 2024. They passionately wanted to present the beauty and history of Cordilleran culture and traditions through music shows in the urban centers but they...
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Stories of Filipino heroines now have a home in Tandang Sora Women’s Museum
The Women’s Month of March is made more significant by the Tandang Sora Women’s Museum in Quezon City. Now formally open to the public, the museum lies on the avenue named after “the mother of the Philippine Revolution”—a means to uphold the value of women and to perpetuate a culture where women hold significant roles...