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QueerCon: QC gov't, advocates hold expo of LGBT-owned businesses

Various snaps from the first day of QueerCon: LGBTQIA+ Business Expo on June 20, 2025. Composite Image: Jaia Yap/GMA Integrated News. More than 40 businesses owned by members of the LGBTQ+ community were brought together last weekend in a mall in Quezon City for the debut run of QueerCon: LGBTQIA+ Business Expo 2025. Organized by the Philippine LGBT Chamber of Commerce (Chamber) and the Quezon City Government, QueerCon ran from June 20 to 21 in Trinoma's Activity Center and was billed as the biggest expo of its kind in the country. 'This is a pioneering initiative that puts the spotlight on queer-owned businesses,' said the Chamber's chair Ronn Astillas in an interview with GMA Integrated News. 'Ang gusto nating ipakita o mensahe sa ating kababayan ay kami mismo sa lipunan ay katulong n'yo o katuwang ninyo sa pag-unlad sa ekonomiya,' he said. Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte led the opening of QueerCon, which featured food and drinks and a myriad of items like colognes, clothing, handcrafted bags, accessories, wooden trinkets, stickers, and artworks. '[There's] so many exciting products na hindi matatagpuan sa kahit saan pang bazaar,' Belmonte said at the ribbon cutting ceremony. Service-oriented enterprises were also featured, such as a travel agency, a printing business, and an online tax filing and payment platform. 'Empowerment' through enterprise According to Astillas, every purchase at the expo was also 'a vote for equity and visibility.' ''Pag ikaw ay sumusuporta sa isang negosyo na pagmamay-ari ng LGBT, it will go a long, long way, sapagkat binibigyan mo kami ng oportunidad upang mas maging stable at sustainable ang aming livelihood. And at the same time, kami rin mismo nagbibigay ng employment sa aming mga empleyado, sa aming mga kapuwa,' he said. Astillas hopes that there will be more initiatives that support queer-owned enterprises in the future. 'Kaya mahalagang mahalaga na ang pagtulong sa negosyo, tulad ng ginagawa ng QueerCon, ay magawa natin sa buong bansa dahil ang epekto nito ay hindi lamang para sa komunidad, kundi para sa lahat ng tao na nakapiligid sa aming komunidad ng LGBT+ community,' he said. For other events this Pride Month, there's QCinema's Rainbow QC Pride Film Festival happening from June 25 to 27 in Cubao, Quezon City. Meanwhile, this year's Pride March and Festival, dubbed LOVELABAN 2025, will be held on June 28 in the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City. —CDC, GMA Integrated News