God and GAD: Benilde Opens PRIDE Month with Faith and Inclusion Dialogue
God and GAD: Benilde Opens PRIDE Month with Faith and Inclusion Dialogue
19 June 2025
De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde launched its 2025 PRIDE Month celebration with a pioneering event that brought together faith, identity, and inclusion in a shared dialogue. Held on June 9 at the Duerr Auditorium, the seminar titled GOD and GAD: Rediscovering Spirituality in a Gendered World was organized by the Office of the Vice President for Lasallian Mission and Student Life–Gender and Development (OVP-LMSL–GAD), the Center for Lasallian Ministry (CLM), and the Benilde Student Government (BeSG).
Designed to affirm the dignity of every person regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression (SOGIE), the session also explored how spirituality can be a powerful foundation for advancing inclusion and social justice—key expressions of the Lasallian mission.
The event opened with two intersecting sessions: a Gender and Development (GAD) orientation, and a catechism-based reflection on human dignity. GAD Specialist Ms. Nicole Trisha F. Panganiban provided a primer on basic gender and development (GAD) concepts, SOGIESC, gender biases, allyship, and gender-fair language, grounding these themes in institutional values and legal mandates. Her depth of experience, from the Philippine Commission on Women to delivering trainings to various agencies, LGUs, and foreign posts, added national and global perspective to the discussion.
She was followed by Mr. John Alexis Lago, campus minister at the Center for Lasallian Ministry, who reframed theological dialogue through a pastoral lens. Rooting his message in the belief that all are created in the image and likeness of God, Lago emphasized that faith and identity are not mutually exclusive. Citing the Catechism and Theology of the Body, he underscored the Church’s call to “accompaniment”, walking with individuals in compassion rather than judgment, and affirmed that LGBTQ+ persons, like all others, are called to love and holiness in their unique vocations.
The event’s most resonant moments came during the panel dialogue, where LGBTQ+ Benildeans shared personal testimonies of navigating faith and identity. One panelist spoke of being openly trans in Catholic spaces, while another reflected on finding deep purpose in serving within the Church. Their stories, shared with honesty and conviction, challenged assumptions and showed how lived experience can meaningfully align with spiritual calling.
Audience questions brought raw honesty to the fore, ranging from inquiries on how God’s image transcends gender, to whether one could embrace personal transformation later in life. These were met with care, affirming that faith is not static but an evolving journey.
Closing the event, Vice President for Lasallian Mission and Student Life Ms. Maria Veronica “Nicky” Templo-Perez encouraged participants to carry the dialogue forward: “Inclusion is about relationship. Let’s not judge, only God can judge. But even then, He doesn’t.” She invited the Community to reflect inwardly on readiness, openness, and the courage to love rightly: “You are loved. You belong. You are called to greatness in God’s eyes.”
Throughout the month, Benilde’s PRIDE celebration continues with a multi-office rollout of activities: GAD seminars for employees, HIV testing, a storytelling forum, a PRIDE Market and Gallery, and a culminating Pride March with performances and community pledges. Together, they show how Benilde’s commitment to inclusion touches every part of campus life, from academics and student programs to faith and administration.
Benilde’s PRIDE Month celebration builds upon a deepening institutional movement toward gender justice and equity. Just months earlier, the College launched its GAD Initiative through a three-day learning session and agenda formulation writeshop–a foundational step in formalizing its roadmap for inclusive transformation. Through events like God and GAD, Benilde signals that its mission is not only about education, but about creating compassionate communities that reflect the dignity of all.
