DEPUTY Speaker and Las Piñas City Rep. Camille Villar has called for a stop to continuing sexual discrimination against members of the LGBTQIA+ community as she recently joined Pride Month celebrations in Las Piñas City.

Villar underscored the need to accept and respect the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders, queers, intersex, and asexuals, whom she lamented have been discriminated by and continues to experience unfair treatment from their families, communities and even the government.

“Tayo po ay pare-pareho, pantay-pantay sa lahat ng antas ng ating buhay. There should be no discrimination based on sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions. We should all accept and respect one another,” she said.

As part of the city’s Pride Month celebration, Villar, along with her mom Sen. Cynthia and brother Sen. Mark, recognized the achievements of five city residents who were picked out of 18 nominees for the first-ever Las Piñas Pride Awards in the categories of Beauty, Fashion, Culture and Arts; Sports, Education and Academe, Community Service, and Livelihood.

The five awardees were Gil Granado for Beauty, Fashion, Culture and Arts from Barangay Talon 2, Arnold Pante for Community Service from Barangay Pam 3, Jesus Catangue Jr. for Education and Academe from Barangay Talon 1, Sinfronio Acaylar for Sports from Barangay Pamplona 2, and Melchor S. Casimina for Livelihood from Barangay Pamplona 3.

Granado is a fashion designer and consultant and is the president of the Fashion Designer of the Philippines. He is the main host of the daily TV show “Ito ang Tahanan” which airs over Net 25. He donated blankets and face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic and has given work to unemployed individuals as sewers, beaders, etc.

Pante, who was awarded for the Community Service category, is a businessman, event organizer, host, city level president of HIRAYA, an HIV testing and awareness advocate, founder of Hanford Charity, and organizer of Ms Gay pageants, Bikini Open, dance competitions, Clean & Green projects and feeding programs. He also trained and honed successful basketball and volleyball players in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), an athletic association of ten private colleges and universities in Metro Manila.

The Education and Academe category winner was Golden Acres National High School teacher Catangue, who is the proponent of Project Tulak (Tulong Upang Lumawak ang Kaalaman) Pisara, which seeks to bring the blackboard outside the school by teaching students who are having difficulty answering their worksheets and lessons. The project has been recognized by Vice President Sarah Duterte and featured in GMA-7’s “24 Oras” and NET 25’s “Responde.” Catangue also organized feeding programs and hygiene kit distribution activities during the COVID-19 pandemic; was awarded as Most Innovative Teacher by InstaBright Phils.; is the president of TUFA (Talon Uno For Adults) and is the adviser of different youth organizations in his barangay.

For the Sports category, awardee Acaylar is the executive coach of the University of Perpetual Help for its volleyball team since 2012. He was also the head coach for the men’s volleyball team for the South East Asian Games in 2016.

Casimina, who is the awardee for the Livelihood category, is the owner of Mike and Steven Key Salon. He has organized free classes for hair cutting and foot spa. He is also a painter, and has spearheaded feeding programs in his barangay.

Aside from the LP Pride Awards, Rep. Villar also joined the crowning of the city’s first Binibining Bahaghari which was organized by the Villar Foundation.

Gretess Cunanan from Barangay Manuyo Dos won the crown. She received a crown, sash, plaque and a P50,000 cash prize. First runner-up Tisha Mendez Andrada from Barangay received a crown, sash, plaque and P30,000; while second runner up Anne Fernee Casil from Barangay BF International CAA received a crown, sash, plaque and cash prize worth P20,000.

Cunanan also won the special awards in Best in Swimwear and Best in Long Gown, while Casil won the Best in Talent award, and Bharbs from (Barangay Talon Dos was named Darling of the Crowd. Special Awards recipients also received a sash, certificate, and P10,000 cash prize each.

Rep. Villar also joined the Pride Parade participated in by LGBTQI+ members from the city’s 20 barangays.