As the famous saying goes: “There’s a rainbow always after the rain.”
On one rainy Monday afternoon in UPLB, constituents celebrated rainbows—of another sort.
These are the rainbow crosswalks, which the UPLB Gender Center and the Office of Anti-Sexual Harassment (OASH), in partnership with the UPLB Babaylan and with the assistance of the UPLB Planning and Management Office (UPMO) and Security and Safety Office (SSO), painted on Jose M. Capinpin St. to celebrate June as LGBTQ++ Pride Month.
On June 26, 2023, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony and program held at the site, UPLB officials, students, and other university constituents gathered in support of the Center’s advocacy and core values to “respect diversity, promote equity, ensure inclusion, and create belonging” for all UPLB’s LGBTQI+ community members.
In his opening message, For. Roberto P. Cereno, vice chancellor for community affairs (OVCCA), reiterated the key message behind the core values inscribed in the rainbow crosswalks.
He also said that the newly installed street signs could amplify the significance of diversity and inclusion apart from pedestrian safety.
A message from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension (OVCRE) affirmed the symbolism of the rainbow crosswalks. It said “Kung ano po ang kulimlim ng panahon ay siya namang tingkad ng ating ipinagdidiwang ngayong buwan ng Hunyo—the vibrance of our diversity, the vibrance of our uniqueness, and the vibrance of our mere being, our true identities, and our presence in the spaces that we occupy… As we make the strokes that form this rainbow crosswalk, may we be reminded that Pride is a spectrum—seven discernible colors that represent a million things.”
A ceremonial painting was supposed to be part of the program but was called off due to the inclement weather.
Aldrin Bula, punong babaylan of UPLB Babaylan, expressed their gratitude for the assistance and joint efforts of the UPLB Gender Center, OVCCA, and UPLB Planning and Management Office (UPMO), in painting the rainbow crosswalk and for setting up the coloured spotlights at the Oblation during the Pride Month celebration.
Likewise, Nadine Estampador of Southern Tagalog Pride (ST Pride) said that the rainbow crosswalk is a big step for UPLB and that it will translate to addressing greater concerns, such as having gender-affirming and gender-inclusive policies.
Mark Gio Olivar, chair of the UPLB University Student Council (USC), said that the fight for equality for members of the LGBTQI+ community is ongoing and expressed his gratitude for knowing that they are not alone in waging it.
Dr. Emilia Lastica-Ternura, OASH coordinator, closed the program by thanking the UPLB administration for supporting and pushing forward gender mainstreaming.
She also stated that the rainbow crosswalk would hopefully lead to lesser cases of sexual harassment on the campus through educating about PRIDE. (J.C. Reyes and G.T. Baseleres, 2023)
This article was originally published on the UPLB website.