Sumablay sa UP: Rodina Singh

By Kevin Christian Roque on June 28, 2024

This June, UP celebrates Pride Month and honors its LGBTQIA+ alumni. #SumablaySaUP features Rodina Singh, the celebrated director and showrunner of "Drag Den," who is redefining storytelling in the film industry with powerful LGBTQIA+ narratives. Beyond her creative work, Rodina is a fierce advocate for equal rights and inclusion. Her journey began at UP Diliman, where she was among those who pioneered UP Pride. Recently, she led Quezon City's Pride Month celebration, "Love Laban 2 Everyone," which united over 200,000 attendees in a demonstration of solidarity and support for equality and human rights.

Celebrated director Rodina Singh (UPD BA Film 2014) has left an indelible mark on the film industry through queer narratives. As the showrunner of "Drag Den," a popular Philippine reality TV show on drag pageantry, she has brought LGBTQIA+ stories to the forefront. Beyond her work in film and television, Singh is also a vocal advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community, known for her efforts in promoting equal rights and inclusion.

Singh's LGBTQIA+ advocacy began during her time as a UP student. As the former Punong Babaylan of UP Babaylan, the longest-standing LGBTQIA+ student organization in the Philippines and Asia, she helped organize UP Pride in UP Diliman. UP Pride has now been institutionalized as an official event celebrated across all UP campuses. This has paved the way for protecting LGBTQIA+ members from discrimination and promoting gender equality and equal opportunities.

"UP Pride has come a long way. What started as a mere organizational initiative is now an institution and an official UP event," Singh said. "It proves that our efforts lead somewhere when we stand together."

Continuing her advocacy beyond campus, Singh organized this year's Pride Month celebration in Quezon City, titled "Love Laban 2 Everyone," in collaboration with local government and Pride PH, a coalition of various LGBTQIA+ organizations. Despite the heavy rain, the event drew 200,000 attendees, demonstrating the resilience of the city's LGBTQIA+ community.

"We want to show many people in the Philippines that just because we are few in number doesn't mean we lack capability. Just because we are few doesn't mean we lack rights," Singh stressed. "What we want to say is that the LGBTQIA+ community in the Philippines is significant enough to reclaim the rights denied to us."

Singh says that while the Pride March is a protest, it's also important to have fun. This level of joy only comes once a year, but it shouldn't be the only day we feel it. She reminds all members of the LGBTQIA+ community to strive for security and happiness every day, not just during Pride celebrations.

Text by Kevin Roque (UP MPRO). Photos by Mikki Luistro and Kevin Roque (UP MPRO).