The MSU-IIT Department of English, alongside the Social Laboratory Unit and the Gender and Development Center, held a vibrant Pride Month forum titled “EBAS-EBAS SA MGA YOYI-ISM: On the Depth of Queer Expressions” on Wednesday, June 17, at the University Library Theater.
Anchored on the theme, “A Pride Month Forum on Queer Literature, Performance, and Cultural Expression,” the four-hour event brought together students, faculty, and cultural advocates to celebrate queer resilience, reclaiming pride not as a foreign concept, but as an indigenous act of liberation.
Hosted by Asst. Prof. Ian Embradura, the forum kicked off with a high-energy trivia Q&A session and a lively karaoke segment that energized the audience before transitioning into more personal and thought-provoking conversations.
Ian Zandro Sebua opened the discourse by highlighting the transformative power of performance, stating, “Drag is an art form that invites everyone to explore and express themselves.”
Sebua emphasized that finding a sense of identity, names, and labels within the community goes beyond mere superficial optics.
“It’s not just about the propaganda. We are championing their privileges in this heteronormative world,” Sebua noted, framing queer existence as an undeniable truth that has always existed.
John Dante followed with a grounding message on the gravitational pull of authentic selfhood
amid the constraints imposed by societal repression.
“Mubalik gihapon ta kung asa ta nahi-angay (We will always return to where we fit and where we belong),” Dante assured.
Dante also offered a unique perspective on spiritual freedom within the queer community, sharing his view that queer individuals are often more spiritually inclined because they are free to express themselves completely and embrace both masculine and feminine energies unlike heterosexual individuals bound by rigid societal standards.
The conversation shifted to the localized struggles of growing up queer in Iligan City, led by Asst. Prof. Amado Guinto, who delivered a sharp critique of religious and social demonization.
“Ngano yawa perminte ang bayot? Ngano ang bayot man ang yawa? (Why is the gay person always the devil? must the devil be gay?)” Guinto questioned.
He reflected on how, during local fiestas, people often find themselves more drawn to the vivid, theatrical presence of the yawa (devil) than to San Miguel. In those moments, Guinto explained that the yawa transforms into a form of protest and an expression of the queer spirit—a rare, defiant space where members of the community get to playfully bend rigid social standards.
For Guinto, visibility itself is a radical act. “Whenever I leave my house, I start my protest there,” he boldly stated, adding, “the truth is always plural, [and] everybody must be celebrated.”
Assoc. Prof. Lourd Crisol also touched hearts with a candid reflection on his personal journey, admitting that for him, gayness was once viewed as a “badge of shame.”
He shared that what ultimately saved him was writing and telling stories about these lived experiences, explaining that true liberation begins with accepting oneself—especially since homophobia can sometimes deeply manifest within our own hearts first.
Crisol offered a powerful paradigm shift on visibility, noting that survival is not merely a matter of coming out, but of letting people in. He reminded the audience that “language is power” and that sharing these narratives adds necessary beauty to the world.
The open forum as well as question-and-answer segment quickly turned the theater into a safe sanctuary of warmth and solidarity.
First-year BS Nursing student Marielle Buot bared her heart to the room with a resonant plea: “How do I find myself? How do I express myself?”
In a moment of reassurance, the panel comforted Bucat by reminding her that identity is a journey meant to unfold beautifully at its own pace, without any fixed process or strict timeline. They spoke of the deep, life-saving value of building a “chosen family”—the people we intentionally surround ourselves with to see us through life’s hurdles.
The speakers reassured her that no book or counselor can give her all the answers, but that true peace comes from looking within and being kind to oneself. They reminded Bucat that her identity will naturally find its way to the surface over time, encouraging the youth that they are entirely worthy and accepted just as they are.
Fostering that exact spirit of sisterhood, third-year BS Psychology student Chezid Pearson stood up to offer a supportive commentary, praising how the forum beautifully treated “queer” not as a rigid label, but as a fluid, gentle space where students are allowed the grace to grow.
Pearson highlighted MSU-IIT as a vast, progressive haven where anyone can safely learn to be themselves and find their own community.
The afternoon reached its peak with the book launching of Pagbuswak, a literary milestone centering on the specificities of being gay in Iligan.
Crisol explained the intentional symbolism behind the book’s cover, noting that the choice of a flower captures the beautiful, fluid, and natural essence of queer life, which directly connects to the title Pagbuswak—translating to blooming or coming into one’s own.
The event concluded with an evocative reading of excerpts from the book, leaving the audience with a profound reminder that the queer community of Iligan will continue to write their own truths, bloom unapologetically, and occupy space under the banner: “We’re here, we’re queer, and we’re not going anywhere.”
By sharing their burdens and joys, the speakers and students alike proved that visibility is a collective healing process. For the young dreamers sitting in the dim light of the theater, the afternoon offered a comforting truth: that to bloom authentically is the greatest act of courage, and that they will always have a home, a chosen family, and a space to belong.
Written by Raneshka Angela Gudes
Proofread by Fame Orong
Photos by Krizylle Louise Giltendez
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