MANILA - After drawing in more than 25,000 attendees last week,
the Metro Manila Pride March and Festival, which is the oldest in Southeast Asia, has become the largest pride demonstration in the region as well.

Now on its 24th year, the Pride March and Festival is not only a celebration for the LGBTQIA+ community, but is also a "platform to protest."

"At its core, it’s a platform to protest and bring attention to the issues that matter to the community,” Mikhail Quijano, co-head of the organization’s Communications and Campaigns Committee, said in a statement.

This year’s Pride March, coming days after the Supreme Court concluded its oral arguments on same-sex marriage, is “a call for the realization, promotion and fulfilment of our human rights,” Nicky Castillo, overall co-coordinator of Metro Manila Pride, told ABS-CBN News.

• Metro Manila Pride March delivers message of equality in rainbow colors

Celebrities such as Awra Briguela, John Lapus, Iza Calzado, Juan Miguel Severo, Sebastian Castro, John Saga, Nar Cabico and Luis Hontiveros were also among those who attended the 2018 Pride March.