LGBTQIA+ couple Ida Ramos and Sandy Aldoba respond to backlash over “Lupang Hinirang” video A lesbian couple, Ida Ramos and Sandy Aldoba, has issued a statement condemning the hate and vitriol that followed their brief appearance in a Department of Education (DepEd) video set to the Philippine national anthem, “Lupang Hinirang.” The video, which has been used in schools nationwide for more than two years, features a montage of Filipino students and community members, including a two‑second segment showing Ramos and Aldoba holding a Pride flag. The couple said the video was “well thought out” and intended to showcase a range of marginalized groups—Indigenous Peoples, athletes, women, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. “The video was obviously well thought out, and they tried their best for marginalized communities to be represented,” Ramos told reporters. “But 2 seconds out of a 2‑minute plus video showing LGBTQ+ representation has devolved into the very backward, ignorant, and untrue notion that homosexuality is contagious.” Ramos and Aldoba, who have been together for 30 years, noted that the backlash has been amplified by social media. “It honestly doesn’t surprise us that so‑called mainstream media have now picked up on a few YouTube comments to rage‑bait an entire nation,” they said. “We’re not saying that seeing our faces plastered all over doesn’t affect us. Of course it does. But it’s nothing new.” The couple criticized the claim that a child who sees a Pride flag will automatically become gay. “If seeing a Pride flag will make your kid queer, then maybe that kid is already queer to begin with,” Aldoba said. “So you should step up and be a good parent, and accept and love that child for who they are. Because a straight child is a straight child even if you feed them rainbows.” They emphasized that the purpose of the video was to promote acceptance, inclusivity, and diversity. “The agenda is acceptance, inclusivity, and diversity. The agenda is that gay people exist and we deserve basic respect and dignity like every other human being,” Ramos added. “Because somewhere, off in a far‑flung tiny rural school, a little gay boy will see this and maybe think it’s okay to be who he is. And that he deserves respect because of it.” The DepEd video has been used in classrooms across the Philippines as part of the national anthem lesson. While the video’s creators intended to highlight the country’s diversity, the brief inclusion of Ramos and Aldoba has sparked a wave of online harassment. The couple’s statement calls for a more respectful dialogue and urges the public to reject misinformation about LGBTQIA+ identities.
Article source: The Daily Tribune | Image credit: The Daily Tribune