CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY --This city hosted the first Mindanao-wide "Pride March" in a bid to further diversify and uphold the rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Queer (LGBTQ) community, on Sunday (December 9).
Organized by Mindanao Pride, the pride march is named "Kadaiyahan Festival"--a Cebuano word for "diversity," attended by around 2,000 participants not only from the LGBTQ community but also from other sectors.
Other organizations that participated include Balaod Mindanao, Amnesty International, a representative from the Netherlands Embassy, Spark Philippines, Legal Rights and Resource Center, and the Commission on Human Rights.
Senator Riza Hontiveros, who was a guest of the event, commended the organizers.
”I am very proud in Mindanao pride and Cagayan de Oro city for hosting this for the first Mindanao pride festival. I am very grateful na maging bahagi nang (that this will be part of the) historic occasion na ito guessing for more hope for pushing the Anti-Discrimination Bill," she said.
During the event, the City Health Office provided free HIV testing. (Justine Gaabucayan, USTP-CdO intern/PNA)
