MANILA, PHILIPPINES – In celebration of all the colors of the rainbow, adobo Magazine and the adobo SheCreative Network hosted its annual Pride session: “Designing Equity, Celebrating Identity” — a gathering of queer women from different fields, united by a common goal: to create safer, more inclusive spaces in the creative industry for women of all sexualities and identities. Because every voice matters, and each deserves to be celebrated.
Held at The Astbury in Poblacion, Makati on June 25, 2025, the event was hosted by Justine Peña and welcomed a vibrant crowd of young creatives for an afternoon of insightful talks, inspiration, and celebration.
Linda Lim, adobo Magazine’s Creative Content Producer, welcomed the crowd and shared how this adobo SheCreative Pride session honors women in all their brilliance and diversity, emphasizing that “true inclusion goes far beyond visibility.”
Having a voice and knowing how to use it
Opening the session was Cha Roque, filmmaker and director at Cherryred Films and Third Culture Productions, who highlighted the importance of having a voice — not just within the LGBTQIA+ community, but for allies as well.
She recalled a specific incident that aired on national television in 2015, where a father sought advice from a host of a popular noontime show on how to tell his child that he was gay. The father was worried that his child might face bullying because of his identity.
Unfortunately, the host responded negatively, telling the man he should “go back in the closet.” This moment struck Cha deeply — both as a lesbian and as a mother. In response, she wrote an open letter addressing the show. Weeks later, she was able to connect with the gay father and speak to him personally. That conversation made her realize the power of having — and using — her voice.
“Talking about this stuff, maliban sa na-realize ko that I have a voice, I felt that it also influenced others to realize that they have a voice, especially our allies,” Cha said.
To close her speech, Cha shared words of wisdom from her mother — someone she described as “anticlimactic and non-poetic.” Her mom’s go-to advice? “Walang basagan ng trip.” It may sound simple, but Cha explained that it’s rooted in respect: as long as you’re not doing anything wrong, you’re free to live as you wish.
To create is to insist our existence
Continuing the adobo SheCreative Pride session was Rodina Singh, the National Convener at Pride PH and one of the board of trustees at Babaylanes Inc. More than a queer creative, Rodina is a powerful storyteller and a proud transgender woman.
Rodina opened with a huge ask: to allow her to speak not from a place of trauma, but from a place of power. For her, the trans experience is not merely a story of tragedy, but one of resistance, authorship, and creation.
She began her career in the industry as a filmmaker who, in the eyes of many, was simply seen as “gay.” Back then, the term “trans visibility” was rarely used in showbiz. Rodina admitted that she wasn’t sure if the industry would welcome someone like her — so it felt safer to be seen as a gay man rather than embrace and express her truth as a trans woman.
“I knew every time I stepped into a room, I was carrying the weight of all the bakla, all the trans women, all the parloristas, who were laughed at, sexualized, or completely erased,” she said
Her film “Mamu; And a Mother Too” was not just her passion project — it was her declaration. Through the character of Mamu, Rodina came out to the world, presenting a transgender woman who was not a caricature, not a victim — but a mother, a lover, and a person.
Despite the film’s critical success — including lead actress Iyah Mina making history as the first transgender woman to win a Best Actress award in the Philippines — Rodina still faced discrimination in her own workplace. She was disrespected by colleagues, misgendered in paperwork, on set, and even on stage.
Still, Rodina stands firm. She shows up. For her, that is leadership.
To continue creating safe and authentic spaces for creatives, Rodina actively works with real queer artists, fostering a culture where respecting pronouns and ensuring bathroom accessibility are non-negotiable.
“I do this not because it’s trendy, but because it’s necessary,” Rodina shared, adding that inclusion isn’t just about giving queer individuals a seat at the table. “Inclusion means burning that table down and building a new one from scratch — one that was never designed to exclude trans individuals in the first place.”
The power of collective effort and agency
The last speaker was Atty. Renee Co, Representative-elect and National Spokesperson of Kabataan Partylist. In her talk, Renee underscored the power of agency.
At an early age, she was opened up to the realities of life and oppression with the help of her father. That became her driving force to study law and immerse herself in communities where she could be of help. Joining Kabataan Partylist, she helped craft campaigns with clear goals — believing that when people communicate with clarity and honesty, solutions can follow.
Her approach took an assertive turn when she realized the limitations of engaging with bigger institutions. It was then that she realized that: to create real change, more voices and more stories are needed. By amplifying these narratives, resistance becomes necessary so that the people’s goals can be truly acknowledged and pursued.
As she delved deeper into community work, she’s striving to ensure that spaces for women, the LGBTQ community, and the youth are being prioritized.
Renee later posed a powerful question to the audience: “Do women, the LGBTQIA+ community, and the youth belong in the revolution?” The crowd responded with a resounding “yes.”
“Because all of us feel the different facets of this system and how they repress our identities, our lives, our expressions, and how we want to live our truths,” she said, adding that we must break the current system and create conditions where we can safely fight for our causes and advocacies.
She emphasized the need to strengthen our collective efforts until gender-based violence and daily discrimination are eradicated from society — and until a framework exists that truly supports women, youth, and queer individuals in institutions like corporations, schools, and beyond.
As spokesperson for the Kabataan Partylist, Renee assured that they will continue legislating to ensure that “spaces are greater for women and LGBTQIA+.”
While she acknowledged progress in the current Philippine legal system — such as the passage of the Safe Spaces Act — she emphasized the urgent need to finally pass the SOGIE Equality Bill.
“We need all of us to not only speak out, pero mag-parami pa nang nagsasalita,” she urged.
Designing safe spaces that celebrates identity
Beyond the usual Pride Month celebrations and awareness campaigns, Cha, Rodina, and Renee emphasized that true progress requires more than symbolic gestures. There is still much work to be done before all women — across identities and sexualities — can feel genuinely safe, seen, and uplifted in the industry and in society at large. The challenge is to ensure that allyship and equality extend beyond designated months, and aren’t reduced to tokenism.
For Cha and Rodina, taking up space and being visible should be the norm — not a performance, not a placeholder. Visibility must come with agency. Meanwhile, Renee underscores that dismantling the systemic oppression faced by women and the LGBTQIA+ community requires more than visibility — it calls for action. “Arouse, organize, mobilize,” she declares, reminding us that real change happens when communities come together with intention and urgency.
These efforts don’t just challenge deep-rooted prejudice and discrimination; they lay the groundwork for equity to be consciously and deliberately designed. Only then can we truly celebrate womanhood in all its colors, complexities, and power.
The adobo SheCreative: Designing Equity, Celebrating Identity was made possible with the support of our partners:
- Co-Presenter: Unilever Philippines
- Venue Partner: The Astbury
- Food & Beverage Partners: PICKUP Coffee, Chowking, Yellow Cab Pizza, Goldilocks, Jade’s Temple
- Swag Kit Partner: HairMNL
- Media Partners: Digital Marketing Association of the Philippines (DMAP), RMN Marketing & Media Ventures Inc., ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, LoveYourself Inc
