"If you are not accepted, just choose happiness." That's what Vice President Sara Duterte told members of the LGBTQI+ community as her office celebrated, on Friday, Pride Month. Noting that some lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex people, particularly the younger ones, were not yet confident of themselves, Duterte said they must not think about their gender anymore. "Of course, we all want respect and acceptance... Piliin mo lang kung saan ka masaya (Just choose where you are happy)," she said. Duterte said the government needs the community to become its partner in responding to interrelated social needs and issues. Such issues include poverty, the proliferation of illegal drugs in our communities and the dangers brought about by insurgency and terror groups to the children. "The Marcos administration is counting on your contribution to the growth of our nation," she said. She called for the community's support for the government's call for gender equality and social empowerment through avenues that will promote entrepreneurial collaboration and advancement across diverse socio-economic industries. "While we wait patiently for the passage of the SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression) Bill, ang sasabihin ko nalang ay (but what I can say is) good things take time. But we have advocates in the government kasama na ako na sumusuporta sa batas ng proteksyon (including me who supports the protection of rights)," she gave assurance.