After a two-year hiatus, the BiPSU Trans Pageant made its highly anticipated return on February 14, held at the university gymnasium, celebrating individuality, empowerment, and inclusivity for the trans, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming community.

This event, organized by the Federated Supreme Student Council (FSSC) and the Supreme Student Council (SSC), celebrated students who identify as gay, transgender, or non-binary, giving them a platform to be recognized while promoting inclusivity and unity across the BiPSU campuses. 

During the event, University President Dr. Victor C. Cañezo, Jr. shared that staging the pageant is in line with the university's commitment to offer a safe space for members of the LGBTQIA+ community where they would feel safe, seen, and valued.

The president also shared that the university is moving towards implementing a gender-affirming school uniform policy, allowing trans individuals to wear clothing that aligns with their gender identity, further reinforcing the university's dedication to inclusivity.

Meanwhile, Gil A. Irinco, a third-year Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSED) major in Filipino student, impressed both the audience and judges with her undeniable charisma and outstanding performances, ultimately being crowned Queen of BiPSU 2025 in the fiercely competitive pageant.

In an interview following her victory, Irinco described how surreal it felt to go from dreaming of a pageant for trans individuals at the university to being crowned Queen of all Queens, expressing her honor to being a role model and source of support for the trans community.

“I am deeply honored to hold this title, and it is something I will always cherish,” she said. “I promise to not only uphold the responsibility that comes with it but also to be a source of inspiration and support for the trans community at our university.”

Additionally, she expressed gratitude to the administration for supporting the pageant and commended the FSSC and SSC for organizing the event, which gave participants a chance to be recognized at the university.

“I am at a loss for words to fully express my gratitude to the administration for supporting this pageant, but I am especially thankful to the FSSC and SSC, whose tireless efforts made this event possible, providing us with a platform to showcase our talents while making us feel celebrated, recognized, and valued, and for creating an opportunity that will forever resonate with us,” she added.

Furthermore, in addition to being crowned Queen of BiPSU 2025, Irinco also won several minor and major awards, including the brand sponsorship awards, such as Best in Production Number, Best in Evening Gown, Queen RC’s, Queen Seoul Focha, and Queen Jusa’s.

Nearly clinching the crown, Ralph Abanador secured the first runner-up title and was also named Best in Casual Attire, while following closely behind, Keith Serrano, Candidate No. 5, earned the second runner-up position.

Other notable awardees include R-jay Nartea, Candidate No. 8, who won the Queen Printfinity award, Photogenic Queen award, and Best in Advocacy Video, while Candidate No. 2, Ashlynn Garcia, took home the Social Media Most Reacted award, and Candidate No. 6, Rovic Samong, received the WeCreate Choice’s Award.

It is worth noting that BiPSU had previously conducted the Trans Pageant  but paused it in 2022, and it has made its comeback this year to further promote inclusivity on campus.

[This article aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Gender Equality, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, and SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.]