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The Fil-Am Connection

TOFA marks 8 years of volunteering at NYC Pride

The festival is the largest LGBTQ+ event of its kind in the world

By: Elton Lugay - @inquirerdotnet

INQUIRER.net US Bureau / 12:17 PM July 02, 2025

Fil-Am LGBT donors at NYC Pride with TOFA volunteers. Photo by Elton Lugay

Elton Lugay column ID NEW YORK — On Sunday, the streets of Manhattan pulsed with color, music and the thunderous energy of the NYC Pride March and festival – the largest LGBTQ+ event of its kind in the world.

This year’s theme, “Rise Up: Pride in Protest,” was more than a slogan. It was a call to action, echoing through a crowd estimated in the millions and among thousands of parade participants and volunteers.

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Among the rainbow sea of faces, a group of dedicated volunteers from The Outstanding Filipino Awards (TOFA) stood out – not for their sashes or banners, but for their unwavering commitment to service.

A giant LGBTQ+ flag behind volunteers Chris Clarke and Rasmin Diaz as they pose for a photo during Sunday’s NYC Pride. Photo by Elton Lugay

For the past eight years, TOFA volunteers have played a vital role at NYC Pride, taking on duties from ticket taking and parade marshaling to even garbage collection.

This year marked a new chapter. For the first time, TOFA volunteers served as official NYC Pride representatives, helping raise crucial funds to “keep Pride free and accessible.”

Former TOFA awardees Chito delos Santos, Dr. Georgio Dano and Reagan Rada led the charge, joined by stalwarts like Boots Babushka (a decades-long NYC Pride marcher, a staple of the Filipino American LGBTQ+ community, and a renowned drag impersonator from the Philippines before immigrating to the US.), singer Rasmin Diaz, and board members Chris Clarke and Jo delos Santos.

Josh Amancio and schoolteacher Shiena Autida-Sayam, flanked by the Delos Santos family — Chito, Jo, and daughter Cestine — prepare to volunteer during Sunday’s NYC Pride. Photo by Elton Lugay

Newcomers Lawreen Borneo, Josh Amancio, Cestine delos Santos, Bethany Perez, Jenkins Cavans and schoolteacher Shiena Autida-Sayam rounded out the team, each bringing their own passion and purpose.

Shiena Autida-Sayam with a donor at NYC Pride. Photo by Elton Lugay

TOFA volunteer Bethany Perez, who traveled from Pampanga to NYC for vacation and to support Pride, joins the team in helping parade spectators donate to NYC Pride, ensuring it remains free and accessible for all. Photo by Elton Lugay

“It makes me feel good,” Boots, 76, said when asked what inspires her to march year after year. “It’s a yearly sort of obligation for the community that used to be a subculture. And to be honest, it’s one more chance to get dolled up and be flamboyant on Fifth Avenue – to be my uninhibited self.”

TOFA volunteers Lawreen Borneo (from left), Boots Babushka and Dr. Georgio Dano. Photo by Elton Lugay

Boots, a fixture in the LGBTQ+ community for decades, has long been a proud advocate and performer. Her participation in Pride embodies her commitment to visibility, self-expression and community support.

Why do they do it?

For Chito and Jo – an ally and a husband-and-wife duo – it’s about raising their children to see beyond skin color and gender.

“We want our kids to grow up in a world where kindness, respect and love are the default, not the exception,” they said. “Supporting Pride is just one way we teach them that everyone deserves equal rights and dignity.”

For Reagan, Chris and Jenkins, the stakes feel higher than ever.

TOFA volunteer Jenkins Cavans with a donor at NYC Pride. Photo by Elton Lugay

“We march because progress is fragile,” Reagan explained. “With recent rollbacks on trans rights in sports, health care and attacks on gender ideology, we can’t afford to be complacent.”

Chris added, “Every step we take is a reminder that our fight isn’t over – especially when policies threaten to move us backward.”

The youngest volunteers, teens Josh and Cestine, see their participation as a message to their peers.

“We want other LGBTQ+ teens and kids to know they’re not alone,” they said in a joint statement. “Being an ally means standing up, speaking out and showing support – even when it’s hard.”

In tandem with Pride celebrations, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul reaffirmed her commitment to the LGBTQ+ community.

“New York will never stop fighting for equality.” Governor Kathy Hochul joins the NYC Pride march. Photo from Governor Hochul’s Facebook page.

Hochul announced expanded initiatives – including increasing the Lorena Borjas Transgender and Non-Binary Wellness and Equity Fund to more than $15 million, making it the largest of its kind in the nation, and investing $1 million in the NYC LGBTQ+ Community Center.

She also unveiled workforce development grants for transgender, gender non-conforming and non-binary individuals, aiming to combat employment disparities.

Additionally, the governor announced the opening of the 2026-28 Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera and Edie Windsor LGBTQ+ Fellowship, honoring trailblazing figures in LGBTQ+ history and supporting government inclusion efforts.

As the festivities continued, TOFA volunteers remained on hand, collecting donations and sharing smiles throughout the day. For them, Pride isn’t just a parade. It’s a promise to keep rising up, year after year.

Founded in New York, TOFA is an annual global event dedicated to recognizing and uplifting Filipinos making a difference in their communities. For eight years, TOFA has proudly served as a community volunteer group at NYC Pride, championing equality and inclusion for all.