More than just rainbow flags and festive marches, Pride Month in the Philippines is a tradition of protest and a triumph of resilience.
The SOGIESC Bill has been sitting in legislative limbo for years, and that silence… it speaks volumes. And yet, on June 17, 2025, a group dared to respond loudly—with images, with dignity, with truth. Verde Creatives, on their 8th anniversary, unveiled a photo campaign that refuses to whisper. It stares you straight in the eye and asks: Are you really listening?
The campaign is called “EQUALITY CHAMPIONS: Magandang Laban.” And what a beautiful fight it is.
As a mom, I’ve always believed that we raise our children not only with love but with examples. And this campaign? This is the kind of example I want them to grow up with—one that shows that bravery can be quiet and graceful, loud and proud, and sometimes, all of that at once.
These aren’t just portraits. These are people putting on brave faces—not to hide, but to confront. They stare into the lens the way so many of our children wish they could look into society: without shame, without fear, and with the hope of being accepted for who they are.
Led by Ms. Bemz Benedito, the first transgender woman to be a congressional nominee and Chair of Ladlad Partylist, this campaign goes beyond beauty. It’s political, it’s personal, and it’s necessary. She said something that pierced right through me:
“Each photograph tells a story of courage, resilience, and the unwavering demand for dignity.”
Isn’t that what every mother wants for her child? To be treated with dignity? To feel seen and safe?
The campaign, supported by groups like STRAP, TAO, and even government allies like the LGBTQIA+ unit of LTFRB, proves that this fight is not one-sided. Beauty queen and national adviser Maria Barbie Anne Arcache, whose image also appears in the series, reminded us that allyship isn’t a side note—it’s a pillar. It tells our LGBTQIA+ youth: You’re not alone.
And in each frame, I see my child.
I may not know who my kids will become or who they’ll love. But I do know this: I want them to grow up in a Philippines where they’re free to be exactly who they are—and where their classmates, friends, and future families can say the same.
The SOGIESC Bill won’t take anyone’s rights away. It simply gives everyone a chance to live with the same safety, respect, and freedom most of us already enjoy. Equality isn’t a pie. Giving others more doesn’t mean you get less.
So, from one mom to another:
Let’s open our eyes. Let’s open our hearts.
Because when we protect every child, not just our own, we’re building the kind of future every mother prays for.
This is our Magandang Laban. A beautiful fight. A mother’s fight. And I’m standing for it.
