May Isang Matalinong Obispo Ni J.I.E. TEODORO OO, mayroon, taga-Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines o CBCP, at ang ngalan niya ay si Msgr. Pedro Quitorio. Sa pangalan pa lang niya, nanginginig na ako sa takot. After all, huwag nating kalimutan, si San Pedro ang may hawak ng susi papasok sa tarangkahan ng langit. Kung wala ang pangalan mo sa kaniyang libro, good luck sa ‘yo, doon ka na sa impiyerno. Kung susundan kasi natin ang argumento ni Quitorio, kung bading ka (at gusto mo pang magpakasal, que horror!), wala ka sa listahan ng kaniyang tokayo. Ganito kasi iyon. Sa News To Go ng GMANEWS TV kaninang umaga (27 Hunyo 2011), masayang ibinalita nina Howie Severino at Kara David na ligal na ang pagpapakasal ng parehong babae at parehong lalaki sa New York. Inaprubahan ang batas na ito ng kanilang Senado noong isang araw at nagdiwang ang maraming mga bading at lesbyana sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng mundo lalo na siyempre sa di natutulog na lungsod ng New York. Pang-anim na estado na...

Simbahang nagkakasal sa mga bakla at lesbiyana06/29/2011 | 12:06 PM www.gmanews.tv Sa New York, maituturing na tagumpay ng mga lesbian, gay, bisexual at transgender, o LGBT, ang pagkakaroon ng same-sex marriage doon. Pero sa Pilipinas, wala mang batas na kumikilala sa pag-iisang dibdib ng same sex couples, may simbahan na nagkakasal sa kanila - ang Metropolitan Community Church. Si Rev. Ceejay Agbayani ang administrative pastor nito. Nakapanayam siya nina Kara David at Howie Severino sa News To Go. HOWIE SEVERINO: Anong relihiyon ninyo? REV. AGBAYANI: We're an ecumenical Protestant Christian denomination that caters to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. KARA DAVID: Ang Protestant church ba ay kumikilala sa same-sex marriage? REV. AGBAYANI: Hindi ho lahat ng Protestante. Actually ang isa pong katangian ng Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), we minister to the LGBT community. Sa Pilipinas, kami lang. KARA: Pero 'yung church ninyo hindi naman para lang sa ...

Gayer than laughter, am I Circles By MELO ESGUERRA June 22, 2011,Manila Bulletin MANILA, Philippines -- I usually decline invitations to events that coincide with my birthday. But I decided to move my celebration to a later time to attend a reception hosted by the US Embassy in Manila at the Ambassador’s Residence to celebrate the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month. When US President Barack Obama proclaimed the month of June as the LGBT Pride Month, the US Embassy in the Philippines, which incidentally has a very strong gay group (under the leadership of my good friend Michael Pignatello), initiated this empowering activity which paid tribute to members of the LGBT community. Present at the party were LADLAD Party List founder Danton Remoto, Boy Abunda (the senior party adviser for LADLAD), and other LGBT supporters from the business community, NGOs, and politics. US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. presented a very strong message that night and I would like to share ...

Ricky, handang tulungan ng Ladlad Ni Gorgy Rula Abante PORMAL na in-announce ng Ladlad partylist na tinanggap na ni Boy Abunda ang matagal nilang alok na maging Senior Party Adviser. Kasama ni Kuya Boy na humarap sa press kahapon ang Ladlad chairperson na si Bemz Bene­dito para ipahayag ang pagiging aktibo ni Kuya Boy sa naturang samahan. Matagal nang sumusuporta si Kuya Boy sa natu­rang grupo pero ngayon lamang siya nagsalita at ipina­hayag ang kanyang partisipasyon sa ipinaglalaban ng Ladlad para sa 2013 Elections ay magkaroon na ito ng puwang sa Kongreso, na ang target nila ay makakuha ng tatlong seats. Ayon kay Kuya Boy, “Alam n’yo naman lahat kung ano ang laban nitong Ladlad na nangyari sa Comelec hanggang sa nakarating sa Korte Suprema, at ang prosesong ‘yun. “Pagkatapos matalo ng Ladlad nu’ng nakaraang eleksyon, hindi na kami papayag. Kaya ngayon, hinihikayat na namin ang lahat ng aming mga miyembro. “We are assessing, we are revisiting our list, we are encouraging LGBT (lesbian...

Boy Abunda named Ladlad senior adviser; vows to help party list win 3 congressional seats in 2013 By JOJO P. PANALIGAN June 16, 2011, 7:57pm Boy Abunda got "hurt" for Ladlad when it failed to secure Comelec accreditation in 2010. MANILA, Philippines — TV host and manager Boy Abunda has accepted the offer to be the senior adviser of the Ladlad Partylist. Abunda considers getting the position “one of the most important chapters” in his life. He aims to not just be an active member of the group, but an aggressive one. “I’ve always been supportive of Ladlad in my own way but now is the time--this is the time--to step up my participation,” he told Bulletin Entertainment and other members of media on June 16. He admitted getting “hurt” for Ladlad when it failed to secure Comelec accreditation in 2010. He vows to not let that happen again in 2013. “Di na kami papayag,” was his stern declaration. He nipped in the bud talks that he accepted Ladlad’s offer because he wants to generate...

Abunda joins Ladlad as adviser By Mike Frialde (The Philippine Star) Updated June 17, 2011 12:00 AM TV host Boy Abunda, senior political adviser of Ladlad for the 2013 midterm elections, and Bemz Benedito, Ladlad party-list chair, unveil the new logo of Ladlad during a press conference in Makati City yesterday. JOEY MENDOZA | Zoom MANILA, Philippines - Television host Boy Abunda yesterday accepted the invitation of Ladlad, an organization of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals, to become its senior political adviser for the 2013 midterm elections. In a press conference yesterday in Makati City, Abunda said he would use his position to ensure that Ladlad gets three seats in the House of Representatives as a recognized party-list group. Abunda said that in accepting the offer to be Ladlad’s senior political adviser, he is not seeking nomination for the 2013 elections. He added that although he has been supporting Ladlad since its inception in 2004, it is only now that he has a...

The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release May 31, 2011 Presidential Proclamation--Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month ------- BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION The story of America's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community is the story of our fathers and sons, our mothers and daughters, and our friends and neighbors who continue the task of making our country a more perfect Union. It is a story about the struggle to realize the great American promise that all people can live with dignity and fairness under the law. Each June, we commemorate the courageous individuals who have fought to achieve this promise for LGBT Americans, and we rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Since taking office, my Administration has made significant progress towards achieving equality for LGBT Americans. Last December, I was proud to sign t...

Ms. Bemz Benedito, the chairperson of LADLAD Party List, gives a voice to the transgender experience in the Philippines June 5, 2011, Cebu City – “Human Soul”, a multi-media exhibit on gays and transgender Filipinos, will be launched today in Cebu City. It aims to raise the awareness and consciousness of the community on the discrimination of gay and transgender Filipinos. An initiative of Health Action Information Network (HAIN) and The Library Foundation (TLF) Share Collective Inc., the exhibit is supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The multi-media exhibit showcases the works of journalist Sebastien Farcis and photographer Romain Rivierre, both French citizens. The launch will be held at the Cebu City Hall Lobby and will be open for public viewing until June 10. It will then move to the Alliance Francaise de Cebu at QC Pavilion along Gorordo Avenue from June 13-18. The exhibit features seven transgender individuals, one gay man, and four people living with H...

The HIV/AIDS picture in the country is dismal -- five Filipinos get infected with HIV every day, and three Filipinos die from full-blown AIDS every week. Along with Bangladesh, we are the only Asian country where HIV/AIDS infections are growing. It has been on the downtrend in the rest of the world -- except n seven countries, the rest being in Africa. Because of these, several lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organizations and allied groups have banded together to write an open letter to President Noynoy Aquino to serve as a wake-up call to this issue. I am giving space to their open letter, entitled "Dear Pnoy: Where is the political will to fight HIV and AIDS?" "This week, the United Nations will gather more than forty heads of state and ministers in a High Level Meeting that would plot the next phase of the struggle to eliminate HIV and AIDS. The High Level Meeting marks the 30th year since the discovery of AIDS, and while there is cause for optimism due to a ...