John SWEET Lapus
22 December 2025
At the sidelights of the grand mediacon for the movie Call Me Mother, an entry to the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival, John “Sweet” Lapus offered words of advice to younger LGBTs who are deeply affected by the HIV crisis.
He also gave his impassioned response to the polarizing statements of LGBT icons, Hair Majesty Mother Ricky Reyes and Philippines Fashion Ambassador to the World Mama Renee Salud, and sent a sweet message to LGBT youth who may have been harmed with these “old-school” opinions.
ON WORLD AIDS DAY
According to the Department of Health, the Philippines has the fastest-growing number of HIV cases in the Asia-Pacific region. By June 2025, at least 57 Filipinos have found out they have HIV, or the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which attacks the body's immune system, specifically the CD4 cells (T cells), making individuals more vulnerable to infections and diseases.
The number of new HIV cases, as per the DOH, went up by 550% from 4,400 in 2010 to 29,600 in 2024. Around 252,800 Filipinos are estimated to be living with HIV as of 2025. If HIV is left untreated, it can lead to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), a condition where the immune system is severely damaged.
To reverse the rising trend of HIV cases, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) expressed their support to the DOH request for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to sign an executive order that would officially declare HIV a high-priority public health concern, requiring urgent action from all levels of government and society.
In the first quarter of 2025, UNAIDS, WHO and the DOH expressed alarm that a third of newly diagnosed HIV cases are among young Filipinos aged 15 to 24 years. They will need to be on treatment for the rest of their life.
Lapus plays Mama M, the “mother” of Vice Ganda’s character Mother Twinkle, who is a queer who wants to be the “mother” of the biological child of Mara de Jesus (played by Nadine Lustre).
“As we celebrate World AIDS Day, for the nth time, I appeal to the Gen Zs, the millennials, and to the young people out there to please practice safe sex. It is not wrong to be sexually active, but as long as you practice safe sex,” said Lapus, 52. “And you are very lucky that there are so many forms of how to do safe sex. There are condoms, contraceptives, etc. If you can't stop yourself, just be careful, please.”
Lapus continued: “That is really very important. One, AIDS is used as a stigma, so it should not be. It should be part of our daily conversation. It is not something to fear about, but something to be talked about. So, everybody can have it. It is there. So, all you have to do is to accept it, be prepared, and avoid it by making sure that we do safe sex.
“At the end of the day, yes, masarap ang sex. Sino bang hindi nasasarapan sex? But, you know, mas masarap to have sex sa taong mahal mo. So, I think that is really very important as well. To make sure that you make love to someone that you love.”
MOTHER RICKY AND MAMA RENEE
In Call Me Mother, besides Mommy Sweet and Meme Vice Ganda, the cast also include award-winning trans actress Iyah Mina, comedian MC Muah and Internet queer sensation Esnyr. As the more senior among the LGBTs in the cast, Lapus holds the respectable position of being the cast’s default mother figure.
However, two persons are considered the de facto mothers of Filipino LGBTs: the beauty entrepreneur Mother Ricky Reyes and legendary fashion designer Mama Renee Salud.
Does Lapuz, who is also embraced by LGBTs as a mother hen, agree with their polarizing statements about younger generations of LGBTs are asking for too much rights or are too entitled? Here is Lapus’s impassioned response:
“I think their issue is with trans women in particular. Parang may nakita pa akong interview ni Mother Ricky na sinasabi nya na at the end of the day, ang trans women ay bakla pa rin.
“And with all due respect, I think Mother Ricky is wrong. But I can't blame him. Syempre, old school. May edad na Mother natin.
“Siguro di pa sya nakaka-attend ng transgender/trans woman acceptance workshop. Or wala pa syang masyadong knowledge that trans women are women, too..
“And there's such a thing as gender dysphoria. There are people who think and believe that they are in the wrong body. At nangyayari talaga ‘yan all over the world.
“Ako, para sa akin, at the end of the day, tanggapin mo na lang ang lahat. Respect. So, kung sa palagay ng isang trans woman na s’ya ay woman, ang isang transgender naniniwala na s’ya ay babae, ibigay na natin kung ‘yan ang kaligayahan n’ya. Kesa magkomento pa tayo ng mga bagay na nakakasakit ng damdamin.
“If there's a think before you click, there should be a think before you talk. Because at the end of the day, ayaw natin makasakit ng damdamin. And especially us na may responsibilities. There are people who look up to us.
“There are young generations na na-i-inspire sa atin. Tinitingala tayo. So, maging maingat tayo sa ating mga sinasabi. Maging maingat tayo na ‘wag tayong makasakit ng damdamin ng iba.
“Ako siguro, sana may matapang na tao na makalapit sa kanila at ma-explain kung ano ba ang tama at nararapat. Baka wala kasi silang ganun, na baka walang nagsasabi sa kanila na ‘Hindi, mali ‘yung pananaw na 'yan.
“Na ang trans woman ay bakla, na ang bakla kahit pitpitin na parang hamburger ay hamburger pa rin. Or something like that. ‘Yun ay maling pananaw. ‘Yan ay makalumang pananaw. At ‘yan ay nakakasakit ng damdamin.”
Photo: Star Magic
SWEET MESSAGE TO YOUNGER LGBTS
What do you tell your so-called children who were harmed and disturbed by their statements? Because the suicide rates of LGBT youth are so high, right? And they hear things like that.
“To the LGBT community, who are every day feel that they are not accepted. They feel that they are hated by some. They feel that they are alone. They feel that they are not normal. Don't be afraid. You are not alone.
SOURCES: https://www.who.int/philippines/news/detail/11-06-2025-unaids--who-support-doh-s-call-for-urgent-action-as-the-philippines-faces-the-fastest-growing-hiv-surge-in-the-asia-pacific-region https://pco.gov.ph/news_releases/doh-intensified-programs-vs-hiv-already-being-carried-out/
https://pco.gov.ph/news_releases/doh-intensified-programs-vs-hiv-already-being-carried-out/
“Yes, you might not be normal. But there are many like you. You are not alone. So be strong. And all you have to do is to look for someone that you feel na kapareho mo ng nararamdaman, kapareho mo na sumasakit ang kalooban dahil sa mga nangyayari, dahil sa mga naririnig na sinasabi against you.
“Dahil ‘pag dalawa na kayo, you will feel stronger, you will feel more confident. You will feel more accepted. And you will realize that the people who say bad things about you or things that you do not like are just noise.
“Ang importante is that you know who you are. You believe in yourself. You love yourself other than the noise around you.”"