Pride PH Sets 2025 March at UP Diliman on June 28
Pride PH is bringing the country’s biggest queer celebration home to the heart of Philippine academia: the 2025 Pride March and Festival, officially dubbed “LOV3LABAN 2025,” is set to take over the iconic University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman campus on June 28. The much-anticipated announcement was made on May 28, only one month ahead of Pride Month’s grand finale, marking a fresh chapter in the ongoing fight for visibility, equality, and love.
The announcement, posted on official Pride PH channels, sent a ripple of excitement across the Filipino LGBT+ community. UP Diliman, known as the nation’s premier university and a historic center for activism and diversity, will host this year’s festivities, a choice brimming with symbolism for a community that never stops pushing for safe spaces and recognition. Organizers encouraged everyone to “prepare to shout out your calls and play the glam games,” underscoring the event’s signature mix of advocacy and revelry. For details on the official statement and organizational call for partners, head to WhenInManila.com.
Celebration and Protest: A Dual Mission
The annual Pride March is more than a party; it’s a vital statement. While the rainbow flags, dazzling drag, and booming music will surely make UP Diliman pulse with joy, organizers and attendees alike know that Pride is also a protest, a space to demand an end to discrimination, violence, and invisibility. Last year’s event, held at the Quezon City Memorial Circle, drew record crowds with a star-studded roster but was cut short by heavy rains and safety concerns. Even so, over 220,000 people came together, showing that the community’s spirit can’t be dampened easily.
As of this week, Pride PH is calling on entrepreneurs, local businesses, advocacy groups, and NGOs to get involved, aiming to make the 2025 march even more impactful and inclusive. The return to an in-person gathering after last year’s dramatic weather interruption is being met with renewed energy and high expectations.
Why UP Diliman?
The choice of UP Diliman as the 2025 venue isn’t just about space, it’s about history. UP, with its sprawling academic grounds and activist legacy, has always been a safe haven for free expression and diverse identities. It sits in the U.P. Campus barangay, a microcosm of Quezon City known for its openness and cultural dynamism. Learn more about UP Diliman’s storied presence in the Filipino academic and social field at Wikipedia’s U.P. Campus page.
With less than a month to go, rainbow fever is rising once again. Organizers are still finalizing the line-up, but one thing’s for sure: on June 28, UP Diliman will become the center of pride, power, and protest, proof that the Filipino LGBT+ community is, as ever, laban lang (keep fighting), and always ready for the spotlight.
