First Cebu Grand Pride Parade to hit the streets on June 27
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Members of the LGBTQIA+ community, allies, and local officials will head for Cebu City’s streets on Saturday, June 27, 2026 for the first Cebu Grand Pride Parade.
Ramon Matthew Basabe, co-founder of the Cebu Pride Movement, said that the event will mark the first time queer individuals and allies from across Cebu Province will join participants in Cebu City in a collective march.
“Everyone is invited—that is what we want to create in Cebu. It’s not just a meaningful event for the LGBT but for everyone,” Basabe said during a news forum on Tuesday, June 2.
READ: Cebu City LGBTQIA+ members urged: Register, avail of benefits
He added that Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro and Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival committed to participate in the event.
Pride month activities in Cebu
The Cebu Pride Movement, together with local government units, private groups, and LGBTQIA+ organizations, also lined up several activities throughout June to celebrate Pride Month.
LGBTQIA+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual, and other gender identities, represented by the plus sign.
Among the major events being planned in Cebu is the Big Pride Picnic on Sunday, June 14. That will feature food, music, performances, and community activities for members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies.
Basabe recalled that the first picnic in 2025 gathered around 2,500 attendees who watched performances from musicians, drag queens, ballroom culture groups, and disc jockeys.
“We were doing DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) talks, then we asked: where’s the application? Let’s create a space where everyone can enter and they can feel that they belong,” Basabe said.
Other scheduled activities include the Run with Pride on June 7, the Mister Gay Sugbo 2026 coronation night on June 26, and the Mandaue City Pride March on June 28.
READ: True Colors: Cebu professionals celebrate identity, bares personal stories this Pride Month
A Cebu City staging of “Hook Up The Musical” will also take place on Saturday, June 13 as part of the month-long celebration.
The bilingual musical, written by Jude Gitamondoc in English and Cebuano, focuses on queer love and HIV awareness. HIV stands for the human immunodeficiency virus, which can lead to Aids.
Pride Month activities in Cebu officially opened on Monday, June 1 through the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Summit held at the Cebu Provincial Capitol.
Right to Care Program
The summit also featured the signing of an executive order recognizing health proxies and caregiving partnerships in Cebu’s provincial and district hospitals.
Governor Pamela Baricuatro signed Executive Order No. 29, s. 2026, which establishes the Right to Care Program and sets guidelines for recognizing designated care partners in provincial government services and health facilities.
Under the order, designated care partners may accompany and visit patients in provincial hospitals and healthcare facilities.
They may also receive medical updates, participate in discussions involving patient care, and serve as emergency contacts when permitted by the patient.
READ: Cebu launches Right to Care Program through new executive order
The order further allows authorized care partners to help process emergency assistance and social welfare services for individuals under their care.
The Cebu Provincial Government said that the measure applies regardless of marital status and aims to acknowledge caregiving relationships that may not always receive legal recognition.
Provincial officials said that the policy covers members of the LGBTQIA+ community, common-law partners, and other individuals who provide care and support to one another.
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