President Marcos has vowed equal protection and respect for the LGBTQIA+ community as he joined the observance of Pride Month.

In a message released by Malacañang on Wednesday, June 3, the President said the government remains committed to ensuring dignity, inclusion, and equal opportunities for all Filipinos regardless of identity.

“As we celebrate Pride Month, the government reaffirms a principle that must never waver: every Filipino is entitled to equal protection, equal opportunity, and equal respect under the law,” he said.

Marcos said inclusion should not remain only in words.

“It must be reflected in our policies, strengthened by our institutions, and practiced in our everyday actions as a people,” he added.

President Marcos also recognized the LGBTQIA+ community’s contributions to the country through “talent, service, and leadership.”

“The LGBTQIA+ Community has long helped shape our country’s progress through its talent, service, and leadership,” he said.

“To overlook these contributions is to deny an essential part of the Filipino story,” he added.

The President also said no Filipino should feel excluded because of their identity.

“Let this observance send a clear message: no Filipino should ever be made to feel invisible in the country they help build,” he said.

“No one should ever be forced to conceal who they are in order to earn acceptance and understanding,” he added.

Marcos also acknowledged the struggles faced by members of the LGBTQIA+ community in fighting for recognition and equality.

“This observance honors the courage of those who refused to be excluded or denied their rightful place in society,” he said.

“It reminds us that the freedoms and recognition enjoyed today were not freely given, they were won through struggle, sacrifice, and the belief that every person deserves dignity,” he added.

The President likewise called for unity, compassion, and courage as the country observes Pride Month under the “Bagong Pilipinas” vision.

“As we forge a Bagong Pilipinas, let us move forward together with compassion, respect, and courage,” he said.

“Let us stand united in defending the welfare of every Filipino and in creating a future where no one is left behind because of who they are, how they identify, or whom they love,” he added.

While previous administrations had addressed LGBTQIA+ issues in varying ways, there is no widely documented record of a formal Pride Month message being issued by a sitting president before Marcos.

Even before becoming president, Marcos had publicly expressed openness to recognizing same-sex civil unions if Congress passed such a measure into law.

During the 2022 campaign, Marcos also said LGBTQ Filipinos should be protected from discrimination and deserve equal treatment under the law.

In 2023, his administration later created a Special Committee on LGBTQIA+ Affairs under an inter-agency diversity and inclusion body.

However, the administration has yet to actively push the proposed Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill in Congress.