Corporate Leaders Unite: PFIP Launches Council for Workplace LGBT+ Inclusion

Under the golden ballroom lights of Shangri-La The Fort, Manila, history unfolded on June 22, 2025, as the Philippine Financial & Inter-Industry Pride (PFIP) unveiled its new Business Council, a force determined to turn the dream of true LGBT+ workplace inclusion into everyday reality. With senior leaders from some of the country’s most influential corporations in proud attendance, this wasn’t just another networking night; it was a bold declaration: Filipino workplaces are ready to celebrate diversity, not just tolerate it.

Inspiration meets action: The PFIP Business Council’s mandate

“Today, we launch the PFIP Business Council, a bold, strategic, and deeply meaningful step forward,” declared PFIP Chairperson Angelo Camaya, his words electrifying the room. “This Council brings together senior leaders across sectors, united not just by title, but by a shared purpose: to create workplaces where LGBTQ+ Filipinos are not only included, but truly empowered, respected, and celebrated.”

Led by a passionate core of advocates and decision-makers, the Council is engineered to move beyond lip service. Their remit: drive policy advocacy, pilot groundbreaking inclusion programs, invest in executive education, and weave together meaningful partnerships. In the words of Council champion Ekid, “This Council is more than a forum, it’s a force. A force for equity. A force for visibility. A force for progress.”
Read more about the launch and its vision here.

Champions for change: A powerful roster

Names that have shaped Philippine business stood shoulder-to-shoulder, including Maynilad COO Randy Estrellado, Globe Telecom VP Nico Bambao, Amazon Philippines President Steven Emerson, and Accenture Philippines Managing Director Ambe Tierro. Also present were visionaries from sectors as diverse as media, law, beauty, and design. The message was clear: Inclusion is not siloed. It is the shared language of tomorrow’s most admired organizations.

Building more than policies: Creating culture and belonging

This new council emerges as PFIP’s latest, and perhaps bravest, answer to the call for lasting change, one where SOGIE education, leadership development, and allyship are embedded in the DNA of every participating organization. As PFIP’s public commitment states, senior leadership must champion and sponsor these initiatives so that LGBT+ professionals can thrive and lead with authenticity. This institutional approach is already making waves across industries, with companies from financial services to human resources using the PFIP playbook to craft safe, active, and opportunity-rich environments.
Dive deeper into PFIP’s ongoing advocacy and previous milestones at PFIP’s official site.

The ripple effect: Hope and pride for tomorrow

As the night closed with heartfelt embraces, candid conversations, and more than a few tears, the air pulsed with a hope that felt bigger than any single event. By drawing power from collective leadership, authentic allyship, and a commitment to lift one another up, the PFIP Business Council promises not just to raise the bar, but to tear it down, clearing the way for every LGBT+ Filipino to belong and shine at work.

“We dream of a future where inclusion is so natural, we don’t even have to talk about it,” one executive shared between cheers. Until then, the Council stands ready, hearts open and sleeves rolled up.