CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue City government yesterday launched its first “rainbow pedestrian lane” in Barangay Subangdaku underneath the painted flyover along Lopez-Jaena Street.
Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, which adopted the rainbow as their official representation, colored the pedestrian lane red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.
“Barangay Subangdaku is the perfect launching pad since it won grand slam in the search for the most gender responsive barangay by the city’s Gender and Development (GAD) Council,” says City Mayor Jonas Cortes.
Cortes was joined by Subangdaku Barangay Captain and Association of Barangay Councils President Ernie Manatad, City Councilor Demetrio Cortes, artist A.G. Sano, and Philippine National Police chaplain Allan Cortes.
Manatad said he had always wanted to implement an open policy to all genders.
“Even before the search I have always adopted an open policy to all sorts of gender without any hint of discrimination,” he said.
According to Ashlee Cortes, an LGBT representative, placing the rainbow colors on the crosswalk serves as an eye opener to all that people like him are also human beings who are equally deserving of respect.
Sano, one of the artists who did the mural paintings at the Subangdaku flyover, was responsible for some of the most notable street murals in the country. (FREEMAN)