THE NIGHT BEFORE THE SPOTLIGHT: The Untold Story of FTS Lobo’s 9th Anniversary and Gala Night
- Jerry Shangyin
- Aug 17
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 3
One day before the most awaited event of the year, FTS Lobo’s 9th Anniversary and Gala Night, we were thrown into a storm, both literally and figuratively. A typhoon battered Lobo with strong winds, heavy rain, and a total power outage. The entire town was in darkness.
Our final preparations were far from done, all our audio-visual presentations, tribute videos, and digital programs were still unfinished. With no electricity, no signal, and time slipping through our fingers, it felt like the universe was testing us.
BUT GIVING UP HAS NEVER BEEN PART OF FTS LOBO’S STORY!
Desperate and determined, we packed everything we had including laptops, flash drives, clothes, and hope, and drove to Lipa. The roads were flooded. Visibility was poor. Winds shook the car. But we pressed on. Because this wasn’t just about a program. It was about our identity, our journey, our fight for space and recognition.
We found shelter in a hotel with electricity. And without even a moment of rest, we got to work. No one slept that night. We sat side by side, editing videos, rendering slideshows, organizing scripts, and preparing everything we needed to make the celebration unforgettable.
By dawn, exhausted but victorious, we headed back to Lobo.
And just when we thought the worst was over, another challenge greeted us. After all the effort, sacrifice, and sleeplessness, another unexpected obstacle rose. It was one that tried, once again, to stop us from moving forward. But we are not ordinary people. We are FTS LOBO. We don’t run. We don’t quit. We don’t bow down when it comes to our rights.
And so, with courage in our hearts and unity in our steps, we stood our ground.
We fought, we negotiated, we pushed forward, not just for ourselves, but for every LGBTQ+ person who deserves to be seen, heard, and celebrated.
Then finally, the moment arrived. The lights flickered on. The music began to play. The curtains were drawn. The Gala Night began.
What the audience saw was glamour, passion, performance, and pride. What they didn’t see was the storm, the floods, the sleepless hours, the quiet tears, and the brave decisions behind it.
BUT THAT WHAT’S MAKE THE FTS LOBO SPECIAL. We don’t just put on a show. We carry a movement. And no storm, natural or man-made, can stop us.
THE NIGHT BEFORE THE SPOTLIGHT:
The Untold Story of FTS Lobo’s 9th Anniversary and Gala Night
Written by: Jerry Shangyin
(FTS LOBO-Chairman of the Board of Directors)
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