As part of its celebration of Pride Month, the University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS), in collaboration with Babaylanes, Inc. and the Department of Clothing, Textiles, and Interior Design (DCTID) of the UP Diliman College of Home Economics, held Stitching the Spectrum: The Collective Rainbow Flag Project on 26 June 2026 at the UPCWGS Conference Room.
The project brought together students, faculty, staff, community members, and allies in a day of creativity, dialogue, and solidarity. Participants donated and stitched together colorful fabric pieces, each representing personal stories, shared experiences, and the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community.
The stitching workshop was led by Asst. Prof. Jose Basil C. Malicsi of the UP Diliman College of Fine Arts, who guided participants through the technical aspects of assembling the collective rainbow flag. Dr. John Andrew “Andoy” G. Evangelista of the UP Diliman Department of Sociology facilitated the conversation on Pride history and personal stories, creating a meaningful space for reflection, inclusion, and community-building.
The project reached its symbolic culmination on June 27, during the LoveLaban Pride PH March at UP Diliman, with the “Last Stitch” ceremony. Final stitches were sewn in real time before the assembled rainbow flag was proudly unveiled and carried at the front lines of the march. More than a handcrafted banner, the flag stood as a powerful symbol of unity—reflecting the many voices and stories woven together by the community.
[With a report from Samuel Harry Adlaon]