Verde Creatives, under the leadership of Managing Director and veteran LGBTQIA+ advocate Ms. Bemz Benedito, is proud to announce the upcoming forum and film showing,"BABAE KAMI: Lakas, Laban, at Likha-A TalkBack featuring Filipina Trans Women Stories." The event will take place on March 26, 2026 (Thursday), from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Dark Roast Coffee House, G/F TKC Square Bldg., Maginhawa, Quezon City.
This initiative is a centerpiece of the 2026 National Women's Month celebration which carries the sub-theme "Lead like the Babaylans, Filipinas!". By centering the narratives of transpinays (Filipina trans women), the forum seeks to reclaim the ancestral role of the Babaylan-the pre-colonial spiritual and community leaders whose authority was defined by wisdom, empathy, and social mediation.
The program features a two-part engagement designed to move beyond surface-level visibility toward deep institutional recognition:
· Part 1: Film Showing: A screening of A Revolution of the Heart.a documentary produced by students of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman. The film explores the "revolution" of recognizing trans bodies as sites of inherent dignity and creative potential.
· Part 2: TalkBack Forum: An intimate panel discussion featuring Ms. Bemz Benedito,who made history as the first transgender woman to run as a congressional nominee in the Philippines. Joining her are representatives from the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP), the nation's pioneer advocacy group for legal gender recognition, a grassroots group recognized for its livelihood programs for trans persons deprived of liberty (PDL).
"Filipinos are often noted for their kindness and tolerance, but our ultimate goal is full acceptance and equality," says Ms. Benedito, a recipient of the Global Transgender Hero award."This forum aims to challenge the 'stereotypical boxes' of trans women and highlight our contributions through Lakas (strength), Laban (struggle), and Likha (creation)".
The discussion arrives at a landmark moment for the community following the February 2026 Supreme Court ruling that recognized the property co-ownership
rights of same-sex couples, a watershed decision for LGBTQIA+ rights in the nation. Panelists will also address the urgent need for the SOGIE Equality Bill which currently stands as the longest-running piece of legislation under interpellation in Senate history.
About STRAP: Established in 2002, STRAP is the pioneer support and human rights advocacy organization for transpinays in the Philippines, advocating for legal gender recognition and a society free from transphobia.
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