Aiza, Vince Uy saddened over defaced pro-LGBT ad

MANILA, Philippines — Aiza Seguerra expressed dismay over the vandalized "All Kinds of Love" billboard along EDSA-Guadalupe as it shows support to the lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender (LGBT) community.

The said billboard showing magazine creative Vince Uy holding hands with his partner, Niño Gaddi, was defaced.

"I applauded Bench for being so bold," Aiza said in an interview on Saturday at the Jeepney TV "Love is in the Air" concert. Bench has not identified the person behind the mischief.

Aiza, who has advocated acceptance of the LGBT community in the Philippines, said the vandalism proves there are "a lot of people who still discriminate."

Despite that incident, Aiza hopes the day will come that people will learn to respect differences of others.

"If you don't agree with same-sex relationships, that's fine. But learn how to respect as much as we respect your opinion about us," she said.

"Respect ours, too. Respect our stand, respect that we are fighting to be seen as equal sa inyo," she added. "So recognize each other's differences, learn how to respect that, siguro we'll live better."

'Unfortunate'

Uy, creative director for Preview and local editions of Cosmopolitan, Town & Country, Esquire and Elle Decoration, also said it is "unfortunate" that the advertisement was defaced with the paint intending to his and Niño's interlocked hands.

Yet, Uy is hopeful that the "All Kinds of Love" campaign was well-received beyond expectation.

"We feel that the positive reception to the campaign shows that Filipinos are more open-minded and progressive than we're given credit for," Uy told Philstar.com.

"On the bright side, we are still happy and thankful because, holding hands or not, Bench was still given the opportunity to spread the message of acceptance, tolerance and equality of any kind of love— perhaps slowly, but definitely surely," he added.