Internal struggle?
Highlighting that divisions happen even within the LGBTQIA+ community, local organization LGBT Pilipinas Inc. has released a statement alleging that two of its former leaders – Maria Barbie Anne Arcache and Chikadora Go – blatantly disregarded the organization’s values as they formed a separate group, the 1 LGBT Filipinas Incorporated.
In a Facebook post, LGBT Pilipinas Inc. claimed that “the individuals in question have been officially expelled from the organization due to gross misrepresentation and acts inimical to the interests of (the organization)… These individuals have long sown confusion among the public and stakeholders, acting without authority and in blatant disregard of the organization’s values.”
But speaking to Outrage Magazine, Arcache said that there was “nothing malicious” about their departure from LGBT Pilipinas Inc. “We don’t want to make this a big issue as this just brings out the division within the community.”
In a statement regarding LGBT Pilipinas Inc.’s allegations, 1 LGBT Filipinas Incorporated stated that they actually “formally sent our graceful exit letter to our former umbrella organization” as early as January 2025, and “this marked the beginning of our independent path”. By March, they also already “publicly released our official statement confirming our non-affiliation with LGBT Pilipinas Inc.”
Mainly, while LGBT Pilipinas Inc. is aligned with the Office of the Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, 1 LGBT Filipinas Incorporated claimed it is in “full support” of Bagong Pilipinas of the Office of the President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
In a phone interview, Chikadora Go, national founding chairman of 1 LGBT Filipinas Incorporated, said that while their former umbrella organization is a political organization, “kami ay (we are) pro-government advocacy organization.”
As such, they pattern their efforts on those given by government agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). “May mga (We have) programs/projects na binababa sa (provided to the) community… on health and wellness, business and livelihood, and the youth.”
In the end, Go said, the goals are the same, which is to better the plight of LGBTQIA+ Filipinos. “(This is) not a competition so there’s no need to be compared to them. We focus on collaboration,” Go said. “At the end of the day, pagtutulungan pa rin ang goal natin (helping each other is our goal).”
