LGBTQIA+ community members gain a stronger voice in Quezon

By Nimfa L. Estrellado-Laurino Governor Helen Tan joins LGBTQIA+ community leaders during the 2026 Quezon Pride Forum, reaffirming the prov...

By Nimfa L. Estrellado-Laurino

Governor Helen Tan joins LGBTQIA+ community leaders during the 2026 Quezon Pride Forum, reaffirming the province's commitment to inclusion and equal opportunity. (Quezon PIO)

LUCENA CITY, Quezon - For two years, Quezon's Pride celebration fell silent, leaving behind a pause shaped by circumstance and national austerity measures. Its return on July 9 carried less pageantry than promise as the first-ever 2026 Quezon Pride Forum: Promoting Inclusivity, Equality, and Safe Spaces for the LGBTQIA+ Community turned the conversation from celebration toward the everyday work of inclusion.

Representatives from 35 LGBTQIA+ organizations traveled from municipalities across Quezon to reclaim a gathering that had disappeared from the provincial calendar for two years. Organized by the Provincial Gender and Development Office under Atty. Generson Paul H. Mercado in partnership with Quezon's Pioneer Pride, the forum brought community leaders together in Lucena City to renew conversations on inclusion, opportunity and equal access to government services.



That return meant more than reviving an annual Pride gathering that had long been absent from the provincial calendar. It also meant placing LGBTQIA+ concerns at the center of stronger employment, livelihood, healthcare and social welfare programs.

Tan said provincial offices are strengthening coordination to connect LGBTQIA+ organizations with employment referrals, livelihood opportunities, healthcare and other government services. She said future assistance will follow a sector-based approach so programs can better respond to concerns raised directly by communities across the province.

Health remained a central focus of the forum as Tan highlighted the province's continuing HIV and sexually transmitted disease screening during medical missions across Quezon. She said the screenings have become a regular component of outreach activities to encourage early detection while helping reduce the stigma surrounding sexual health.

Yet healthcare represented only one part of the discussion that unfolded throughout the forum as participants examined a wider range of concerns. They also joined a Basic Gender Sensitivity Training and a Community Concerns Workshop that examined the challenges facing LGBTQIA+ communities while identifying ways to strengthen inclusion beyond official policies.

The governor urged LGBTQIA+ organizations to become active partners in shaping provincial programs instead of simply receiving government services. She said lasting inclusion depends on listening to communities and responding to concerns raised by representatives across the province.

"Ang serbisyo at lahat ng tulong na ibinibigay ng Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ay walang pinipili dahil gusto naming maabot ang bawat sektor. Kaya mahalaga na magkaisa tayo at iparating ninyo sa amin ang mga isyu at pangangailangan ng inyong komunidad upang sama-sama natin itong matugunan," Tan said.

Tan also reflected on moments outside government offices that continue to reveal the challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals in everyday life. She recalled accompanying a member of her staff in public places and seeing how lingering prejudice can still shape simple interactions despite growing acceptance.

"Hindi ko kayo nakikitang pabigat sa pamahalaan dahil ipinapakita ninyo araw-araw ang pagiging matatag at maparaan. Patuloy kaming gagawa ng mga programang makatutulong sa inyo dahil bahagi kayo ng pag-unlad ng ating lalawigan," Tan said.

Tan said resilience has long defined many members of the LGBTQIA+ community, who continue supporting themselves and contributing to society despite barriers that often go unnoticed. She added that government support should create more opportunities through employment, livelihood, healthcare and coordinated public services rather than relying solely on financial assistance.

Attention now turns to the sector-based programs provincial offices have been directed to prepare for LGBTQIA+ organizations and other communities. Participants also signed a commitment board affirming support for inclusive communities before concluding the forum with accreditation and networking activities aimed at strengthening collaboration among LGBTQIA+ organizations across Quezon.