30/06/2026
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ณ๏ธโ๐
Through this series, we shine a spotlight on LGBTQ+ individuals and allies whose journeys of perseverance and achievement inspire others to thrive as their authentic selves.
MX. WENDY BERTIZ BAROTILLA
Registered Social Worker โข Founding President, Bacacay Pixie SAGA โข LGBTQIA+ Rights Advocate
For our final Pride Feature, we celebrate a woman who transformed one painful moment into a lifetime of purpose.
Meet Wendy Bertiz Barotilla, whose story is a reminder that every movement begins with someone brave enough to ask, "Why should I have to choose between my identity and my dreams?"
While pursuing her Social Work degree, Wendy encountered a moment that would forever change the course of her life. Before she could enroll, she was told that she had to cut her hair.
To many, it may have sounded like a simple requirement. To Wendy, it questioned something far deeper. It questioned whether a transgender woman could be accepted in a profession built on dignity, compassion, and social justice while remaining true to herself.
She struggled to understand why authenticity had become a condition for education, and why conformity seemed more important than competence. But instead of surrendering, she chose to stand. She fought for her hair, but more importantly, she fought for her right to education. It was never about appearance. It was about affirming a simple truth: that professionalism is not determined by hair length, gender expression, or conformity to outdated expectations. It is reflected in competence, integrity, compassion, and service to others.
That single decision became the turning point of her life.
Years later, Wendy graduated from Bicol University, became a Registered Social Worker, served as the Gender and Development Focal Person of the Local Government Unit of Bacacay, and now serves under the Department of Social Welfare and Development as a Project Development Officer II under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.
Yet she knew that personal success alone was never enough.
She understood that if one transgender woman had to fight simply to enter a classroom, countless others were silently fighting the same battle. And driven by that realization, Wendy helped build something bigger than herself.
She became the founding President of Bacacay Pixie SAGA, creating a platform where LGBTQIA+ individuals could organize, find community, and advocate for dignity and equality. She also became a member of Gayon Albay LGBTQIA+ Organization, extending her advocacy beyond Bacacay and helping strengthen the movement across the province.
Looking back, Wendy believes that one conversation in 2018 became the foundation of every opportunity she has today. It taught her that one voice can challenge a policy, one act of courage can inspire a community, and one person's refusal to be silenced can open doors for many others.
But her story has never been about proving people wrong. It has always been about proving to every young LGBTQIA+ person that they belong. That they deserve to learn without hiding who they are. That they deserve to work without sacrificing their identity. That they deserve to dream without apologizing for their existence.
This Pride Month, Wendy shares this message:
"๐๐จ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐+ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ญ๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐, ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง'๐ญ. ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ซ ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐. ๐๐ญ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ ๐, ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฏ๐จ๐ข๐๐, ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ข๐๐๐๐ฌ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ. ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ. ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ. ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ง ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ง ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐, ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐ก๐จ๐ฉ๐."
Wendy's story reminds us that Pride is more than celebration. It is leadership that transforms personal struggles into collective victories. And above all, it is choosing to leave the path wider than you found it, so that those who come after you will never have to fight the same battles alone.
Maraming salamat, Wendy, sa pagpapatunay na ang tunay na adbokasiya ay nagsisimula sa tapang na ipaglaban ang sarili, at nagiging makabuluhan kapag ang tagumpay ay ginagamit upang buksan ang mas maraming pintuan para sa iba.
