Elijah Canlas has never been the type to stay quiet when something needs to be said.
The actor, who co-hosts the advocacy show Y Speak 2.0, spoke to PUSH ABS-CBN about why he believes people in the public eye have a responsibility that goes beyond their craft. His answer was straightforward.
"Very much so, kasi nga, we live in a time of uncertainty. We live in a time of divisions, and maraming mga factions na iba-iba ang paniniwala. And aminin natin o hindi, public figures, celebrities, actors, artists — they have voices. They have platforms. And sayang naman kung hindi natin gagamitin for the better, ‘di ba? Kung hindi natin gagamitin to enlighten and speak the truth for people na walang boses. Sana. Parang sayang 'yung platform na binibigay sa atin," he said.
The conversation also touched on the stigma that members of the LGBTQIA+ community still face, a subject that sits close to the heart of his upcoming film Drags to Riches, which opens during Pride Month.
Elijah did not hide how the situation made him feel, but he was just as deliberate about how he believed real progress could be made.
"My God, may stigma hanggang ngayon, no? Nakakainis 'yun. Nakaka-disappoint. I feel like 'yun na lang 'yung masasabi ko kasi I don't want to antagonize anybody. I believe everybody's capable of change. I believe everybody's capable of growth. And antagonizing people won't really remove the stigma, ‘di ba? Pero we have to enlighten these people," he said.
He aimed his message directly at those who still harbor prejudice against the community.
"Sana naman magbago na kayo ng pananaw sa buhay kasi hindi lang kayo ang naninirahan sa mundong 'to, and hindi kayo laging tama. Mga kapatid natin sa LGBT community, tao sila. At malaya dapat silang gawin kung ano ang gusto nilang gawin dahil tao sila, kababayan natin sila, at mahal natin sila. So sana lagay niyo sa isip niyo 'yun, and tama na 'yung stigma na 'yan, please," he said.
On why Drags to Riches matters right now, Elijah pointed to two things: representation and the basic human need for laughter.
"One, it's Pride Month. It's good to empower the community. It's good to represent these stories on the big screen and have the community see themselves be represented in this way na maayos, sensitive 'yung pagkaka-tackle, and totoo, ‘di ba?" he said.
He also noted that the film is new territory for him personally.
"Never pa ako gumawa ng comedy. So bakit never pa ako gumawa ng comedy? Tingin nga yata ng mga tao masyado akong seryoso," he said.
Beyond his own experience, he made a broader case for why Filipinos should make their way to the cinema right now.
"Deserve nating tumawa, deserve natin maging masaya, and deserve nating mag-enjoy lang sa sinehan. Dito sa bansa natin lalo, sobrang gulo ng mga nangyayari. So maliban sa pagtingin natin sa sarili natin, dapat doon tayo mag-focus. And mag-focus tayo sa how do we move forward from all this chaos and gulo na nangyayari sa bansa natin," he said.
Drags to Riches, a comedy film directed by Victor Villanueva, alongside Christian Bables and Inigo Pascual, is set to open in SM Cinemas on June 24.
-By Paolo Lim