Pastor’s anti-LGBTQ post triggers fierce debate online

Filipinos debate where schools should draw the line between promoting inclusivity and respecting parents’ beliefs.

A Facebook post by evangelist and church planter Jomi Sayaoo warning parents about what she called an “LGBTQ agenda” in schools has triggered a fierce online debate, with thousands of netizens pushing back against her claims and arguing that teaching children about LGBTQ people is not the same as influencing their identity.

Among the most widely shared responses was a comment that quickly gained thousands of reactions.

“Teaching straight kids LGBTQ people exist does not make them LGBTQ. LGBTQ kids know straight people exist, and it does not make them straight,” one Facebook user wrote, a remark that many commenters echoed throughout the discussion.

Another viral response questioned whether recognizing different identities should automatically be viewed as a threat.

“Where Every Identity Belongs. Nababasa mo ba ’yung tarpaulin? Inunawa mo ba?” another commenter wrote, arguing that schools should be teaching respect rather than discrimination. The commenter also challenged parents to reflect on whether they would be proud if their own children grew up expressing hatred toward LGBTQ people.

The backlash came after Sayaoo published a lengthy Facebook post urging parents to monitor school assignments after claiming that some students were allegedly required to defend the LGBTQ community in class.

She described such lessons as part of a “grooming agenda,” saying schools should focus on academics instead of discussions about gender identity. She also questioned the display of Pride flags in schools, urged Christian organizations to file formal complaints, and called on parents to report teachers and principals who allegedly promote LGBTQ-inclusive activities.

“Children come to school to learn, not to be groomed,” Sayaoo wrote, adding that Pride flags should be banned from public schools and warning that children could become “confused” about their identities.

Sayaoo, who identifies herself on Facebook as a revivalist, evangelist, pastor, apostle, church planter, digital creator, and a graduate of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Santa Rosa, framed her appeal as a call for Christian parents and church leaders to take action.

However, many commenters rejected the premise that discussions about LGBTQ people amount to grooming.

Several argued that gender sensitivity and diversity education are intended to reduce bullying, promote empathy, and ensure that LGBTQ students are treated with dignity rather than discrimination.

One commenter said schools should instead conduct more seminars on gender sensitivity because LGBTQ individuals “are people too,” while urging Filipinos not to weaponize religion against an already marginalized sector.

The exchange has since spread beyond Sayaoo’s original post, with Filipinos debating where schools should draw the line between promoting inclusivity and respecting parents’ beliefs.

Supporters applauded the pastor for defending Christian values and parental rights over their children’s education. Critics, meanwhile, insisted that acknowledging the existence of LGBTQ people does not “convert” children, arguing that education about diversity is fundamentally different from persuasion.

The viral exchange has become the latest flashpoint in the country’s continuing debate over LGBTQ inclusion in schools, highlighting the deep divide between advocates of inclusive education and those who believe such topics should remain outside the classroom.

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