PRIDE Month may have ended, but Heart Evangelista‘s support for the queer community is unwavering.
Evangelista, a global fashion icon and the president of the Senate Spouses Foundation Inc. (SSFI), attended the first-ever “Spread the Love, Makati” as a speaker in Makati City on Saturday, July 27.
This was a whole-day Pride event to celebrate “equality, diversity, and inclusion” in the city.
On Instagram, Evangelista, the wife of Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, shared a snippet of her speech where she continued to express her support for and share the love with queer individuals.
“I am here for LOVE,” the 39-year-old actress said. “We are present and not at the farthest of reaching. We hold a special kind of spring that continues to eternally bloom in us.”
Evangelista highlighted that one’s “sense of self” should be “celebrated” and “heard.”
“Love they say is intangible but it is evidently here tonight. Thank you and let’s continue to share the love,” she added.
Held at Makati Avenue, Barangay Poblacion, “Spread the Love, Makati” was organized by Makati City’s local government unit (LGU) headed by Mayor Abby Binay.
The daylong event was filled with various activities, including informative talks about the SOGIE Equality Bill and the health needs of the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as creative workshops on drag makeup and styling.
Free HIV testing was also available for attendees, according to the Makati LGU.
Photos and a video shared by the city government showed queer individuals parading the street with Pride flags. Several drag queens showcased head-turning costumes and high-powered performances.
Karen Davila, Angie King, and Nadine Lustre also graced the Pride event.
A longtime ally
This was not the first time Evangelista showed support for the LGBTQIA+ community.
In July 2018, Evangelista pinned a rainbow flag on her all-white Filipiniana-inspired ensemble when she attended the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Her purpose? To express support for the passage of the SOGIE bill, which remains pending in the Senate.
A few months later, Evangelista was hailed as an Equality Champion for her efforts to raise awareness for LGBTQIA+ rights.
Several netizens urged Evangelista to encourage her husband to pass the SOGIE bill when she assumed her new role as the SSFI president in June 2024.
