Esteemed Philippine cultural institutions, Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Museum of the Philippines, displayed their support to the LGBTQ+ community with lights and flags during LGBTQ+ Pride Month last June.
The CCP once again illuminated the façade of its iconic Main Building with rainbow colors, reiterating their support to the LGBTQ+ community, whose many members are part of the culture and the arts sector and have become important figures in shaping and enlivening Philippine culture.
Its Production Design and Technical Services Division, under the supervision of Ricardo Eric Gabat Cruz, created the light show with multiple layers of wavy pattern gobos to achieve depth. The special lighting was on from 23 to 30 June, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
At the National Museum of Anthropology.
Aside from the lighting, CCP also created a program in their outdoor screening project CCP Cinema Under the Stars for LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Shown on 23 June at the CCP Annex Parking were already classic Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, a Cinemalaya festival full-length film entry directed by Auraeus Solito, and Gawad Alternatibo short films Gee-Gee at Waterina, directed by Mariami Tanangco-Domingo, and Pasilong, directed by Toni Cañete.
Western-Southern Mindanao Regional Museum
Pride flags at the National Museum Western-Southern Mindanao Regional Museum in Zamboanga City.
On the other hand, the National Museum of the Philippines embellished their social media accounts with Pride theme and their buildings with Pride flags including the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of Anthropology and the National Museum of Fine Arts.
Its site, area and regional museums all over the country also joined in in the celebration. Some — such as the NM Ilocos Regional Museum Complex in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur; the NM Western Visayas Regional Museum in Iloilo City, Iloilo; the NM Bohol Area Museum in Tagbilaran City, Bohol; the NM Eastern-Northern Mindanao Regional Museum in Butuan City; and NM Western-Southern Mindanao Regional Museum at Fort Pilar in Zamboanga City -— hung their own Pride flags.
The central atrium of the National Museum Bohol Area Museum is decorated with a large Pride flag.
“As inscribed in our vision statement, we at the National Museum of the Philippines strive to — among other things — visualize a Filipino nation, unified by a deep sense of PRIDE in their common identity. To all our LGBTQIA+ friends and allies, you are seen, at #KitaKitaSaNMP!,” the NMP stated in their Facebook page.
NMP also held a contest for visitors to the Manila complex, encouraging them to wear their colorful outfits on Fridays of the June and awarding prizes for the first 30 joiners.
“EveryGAY, the National Museum has been tirelessly making our spaces safe, open and inclusive to all people — not just this Pride Month — but throughout the whole year, too! BI making this great institution accessible for everyone, we are able to revolutionize our museums into a personal, cultural and educational experience that unify the Filipino people and TRANScends the differences in our identities, kaya #TayoTayoSaNMP!,” the NMP further said.
Despite these shows of support, the Philippines still lack a national law preventing discrimination and marginalization of the LGBTQ+ community.