VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (PIA) — The Ilocos Sur government’s Provincial Youth Development Office (PYDO) held a unique event for Pride Month: the “Amazing Pride Race: BEKIrerahan at TOMBalakasan.”
This race combined celebrating LGBTQIA+ pride with showcasing Ilocos Sur’s culture, tradition, and tourism.
PYDO officer Olivia Marie Ibatuan explained that the event aimed to highlight both LGBTQIA+ inclusivity and the province’s rich heritage.
“Because knowing our roots is an important factor for us to have a better understanding of who we are today, and we acknowledge that our culture played a huge impact on the differences and the diversity we see today,” she said in an interview with PIA Ilocos Sur.
The race featured five pit stops across four towns.
Participants tried their hand at weaving Abel Iloko fabric in Santiago, cooked bagnet (crispy pork belly) in Narvacan, tackled a furniture-making challenge in San Vicente, and enjoyed adventure activities like the giant swing at the Ilocos Sur Adventure Zone and exploring the Caniaw Heritage and Forest Park in Bantay.
The final leg in Vigan City involved making traditional burnay (clay jars) and participating in local games, concluding at the city’s musical dancing fountain.
Rhocky Amigable, a participant whose team placed second, expressed his appreciation for the event.
“We are hoping that this is not the last of these activities so we can continue to promote our tourism in Ilocos Sur. We are also looking forward to training, seminars, and the support of the province on the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill,” Amigable said.
He stated that the skills and talents of the LGBTQIA+ are cultivated because of the support of the local government.
The winners of the race were: 1st Place: Team Juan (Carl Lyndon Suday, Lester Vercida, Jerick Raganit, Corine Bianca Dela Cruz, and Sian Michael Regpala); 2nd Place: Team BeerGin (Amigable, Jimmy Rosales, Melvin Arce, Mark Joseph Borja, and Krislan John Figuerres); and 3rd Place: Team FA Sangre (John Mark Aspa, Angel Supnet, JM Tan, Niño Castillo, and Illac Hendrix Sonido).
This event served as a successful example of celebrating LGBTQIA+ pride while promoting cultural appreciation and local tourism in Ilocos Sur. (AMB/ATV, PIA Ilocos Sur)
