View CCP’s façade lighting display for Pride Month
THE Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) has joined the global celebration of Pride Month with a façade lighting display that honors the diversity, individuality, and resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community. The iconic façade of the CCP Main Building has been transformed into a living canvas of light, bathed in a vibrant spectrum of rainbow colors and complemented by GOBO projections with a dynamic interplay of patterns resembling intricate human fingerprints. Designed by the CCP Production Design and Technical Services Division, the concept draws from the idea that every fingerprint is unique to every individual, mirroring the individuality and distinct journeys of the members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The façade lighting is made possible through the efforts of the CCP technical team, led by Jericho A. Pagana (concept and design), with execution by the Gobo Team, composed of Shantie De Roca, Mary Grace Budol, Lucio Tapiru, John Mar Dumayas, and Alex Pineda. The façade lighting is on display nightly from 6 to 10 p.m., until June 30.
Watch a play and do good
The nonprofit organization Make-A-Wish Philippines (whose aim is to grant life-changing wishes of children with critical illnesses) has partnered with GMG Productions for a special fundraising performance of the local production of the award-winning Broadway musical, Come From Away. Based on real events, Come From Away is set in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, where 38 planes carrying 7,000 passengers were grounded right after the Sept. 11 attacks. Despite growing tension in the country, the local townsfolk offered their homes and hospitality to the stranded strangers, welcoming them as neighbors in their time of need. In real life, one of the grounded planes was a Make-A-Wish flight, carrying children with critical illnesses and their families on the way to Disney World, Florida. Due to the postponement of the much-anticipated trip, the town came together to throw a party for the children, complete with mascots, music, cakes and clowns. This is just one of many stories from Gander that inspired the musical, showing how kindness can help change people’s lives. Now its 25th year of making wishes come true, Make-A-Wish Philippines is on the road to achieving its goal of making 525 wishes come true this year. The foundation recently granted the wishes of Kiv (five, diagnosed with a Neuroectodermal Intra-abdominal Tumor) and Betsy (13, living with neuroblastoma) to meet SB19. The fundraising performance will be on June 27 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati. Limited tickets will be available for the VIP section, with proceeds going towards bringing hope, strength and joy to the children who need it most. Tickets to the performance of Come From Away are available at wishes.ph.
Enjoy music at Fête de la Musique’s destination stages
ONE of the pocket stages for this year’s Fête de la Musique in the Philippines is the “PPop Music Fest,” scheduled on June 28 at the Activity Area of Farmers Plaza, Quezon City. It will feature performances of 1ST ONE, Press Hit Play, Yara, Zela, ONX, and Fina. The event is free. The various pocket and destination stages are open on June 27 and 28, many of which are located in Makati City’s Barangay Poblacion.
Attend Araneta City’s Pride Month culminating activity
FOR Pride Month 2025, the event “Love in Every Hue” will culminate the month’s celebrations, taking place at the Gateway Mall 1 Activity Area on June 28. Araneta City has invited LGBTQIA+ organization, Pride PH, for its iteration of the “Love Laban” Quezon City-wide pride march event. It will feature performances by Maxie Andreison, CDV Queens, Fem*me, Aster, 1621BC, and Xerenade. It will be hosted by Kyo, Luigi, Bie, and Stare.
Visit an exhibit of art by writers
FOUR creative professionals, Anna Maniego, Angelo Roxas, Robert Labayen, and Tyron Santos, all writers adept at storytelling, go beyond words to craft visual narratives using pen, ink, and pigments in an exhibit called KUWENTURA. KUWENto at PinTURA which will be on view from June 27 to July 13 at Artist Space, Ayala Museum in Makati. To best enjoy the one-of-a-kind experience of KUWENTURA, bring earphones for a multi-dimensional encounter.
Watch LGBTQ+ stories this Pride Month
THIS MONTH, Lionsgate Play marks Pride Month by streaming five shows and films with LGBTQ+ themes, from thrilling dramas to poignant comedies. They are: Killing Eve, a twisted thriller that blurs the line between hunter and hunted featuring Sandra Oh as Eve, a bored MI5 officer, and Jodie Comer as Villanelle, a flamboyant, unhinged assassin, is a series that explores complexities of desire, loyalty, and morality; High Town, a gritty crime series that dives deep into addiction, redemption, and the search for truth featuring Monica Raymun as a lesbian federal agent battling her own demons while investigating a murder tied to Cape Cod’s opioid epidemic; Casual, a dramedy that looks at family dynamics through the unconventional relationship of Valerie (Michaela Watkins), a recently divorced therapist, her tech-savvy yet aimless brother Alex (Tommy Dewey), and her teenage daughter Laura (Tara Lynne Barr); Emmanuelle, a cult classic that explores sexuality and self-discovery without fear or apology starring Noémie Merlant; and, A Very English Scandal, based on the true story of a 1970s political scandal involving British MP Jeremy Thorpe (played by Hugh Grant) who desperately tries to keep his relationship with Norman Scott (Ben Whishaw) a secret. These captivating LGBTQ+ stories are being streamed on Lionsgate Play via PLDT Home and Smart.
Buy Pop Mart toys on Lazada
GLOBAL designer toy brand Pop Mart is tapping into Lazada’s LazMall to connect with Filipino fans. This June on Lazada, it is launching globally limited figures Molly and Skullpanda in an effort to scale up its LazMall storefront.
Listen to Rock Opong’s new single
FILIPINO singer-songwriter Rock Opong has dropped his latest single, “We Tried.” The piano-led ballad captures the bittersweet journey of letting go, growing, and finding peace after love is lost. It was written based on a casual occasion on Instagram Live where Opong offhandedly said, “We tried,” which he expanded into a song when he later sat down with his guitar. It is out now on all digital music platforms via Sony Music Entertainment.
