Fridae

Manila has celebrated love tolerance and human rights for LGBT in a march in the country’s capital attended by thousands.

The event included a street fair of LGBT owned, themed and friendly businesses and speeches and performances both before and after the march itself.

The Philippines became the first place in Asia to hold a gay pride march in 1994.

This year’s event comes just days before the inauguration of the country’s new president and a lot of attendees took the opportunity to urge the new government to get behind a new anti-discrimination law.

An early statement from organisers said of the parade: “We want a future where all LGBTQIA+ people are able to freely live their authentic selves and love without fear of persecution. To achieve this, everyone inside and outside the LGBTQIA+ community needs to end the hate and let love in.”

One attendee, Evan Tan from Manila, praised the event. “It was very well organised, there were fewer fundamentalists protesting than last time. I think more people are getting educated. I was running thru the hashtag on Instagram and there was so much outpouring of support,” he told Fridae.

Watch some footage of the day’s events below: