INCREASE AWARENESS FOR HIV-AIDS
Isinagawa ang pag-iilaw ng kandila bilang pag-alaala sa mga namayapa na sanhi ng HIV-AIDS. Pinangunahan ng ilang sector mula sa Baguio City Assistant Health Officer Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes, Representative from the Mayor Benjamin Magalong office – Executive Assistant Marlene de Castro, Councilor Joel Alangsab, Representative from Department of Health, Metropolitan Community Church, AIDS WATCH COUNCIL, Community Based HIV-AIDS Screening, ilang grupo ng NGO’s at ilang local media na nakiisang nag tirik ng kandila para sa pag-gunita ng International AIDS Candlelight Memorial na ginanap sa People’s Park, noong Mayo 30, 2021.
Dr. Brillantes, introduced the newly incoming head of the Baguio Reproductive Health and Wellness Center (RHWC) Dr, Karla Tabin came from Atab Health Center.
Dr. Tabin said, “The theme for this year is, We Remember, we take action and we live beyond HIV, today we remember those who have died caused by HIV, and we also remember at present those who are working for the treatment of HIV, we work hand in hand we would like that we would have an increase awareness to Baguio citizens regarding HIV and for the treatment that we are always prepare for this and we would also like to impose the Republic Act No. 11166 which is to respect, protect and promote human rights as the cornerstones of an effective response to the country’s HIV and AIDS situation and not just for treatment but also for education and information dissemination should form part the right to health,”
Sinabi ni Brillantes, “We are here to let everybody increase awareness that really HIV exist since then it’s an epidemic and we don’t want to increase HIV while we are having the COVID pandemic, double jeopardy na yan pagka epidemic ay sobra and then Covid pandemic so, we need to really increase awareness to our among young adult as they grow old they also learned to protect themselves, importante ang ating young adults, young children that they should know the HIV infections of this and hindi lang basta-basta they have to be responsible, mature and sexual individuals para hindi rin sila magkaroon ng HIV, tama na ang nakita natin na maraming namatay na may HIV-AIDS, maraming nagkasakit, though we have treatment ngayon at limitado rin ang kanilang movement or they sometimes they got also sick whenever they do so much, so iwasan talaga ng ating younger children, young adults na magkaron ng HIV-AIDS,”
Naakikiusap rin si Dr. Brillantes sa ibang entertainer na gumagawa ng underground sa online services sa social media na magpa check-up sa clinic “and if ever we asked them to use condoms especially sa mga partners na hindi sila nagpapa check-up, “ ani Brillantes.
Naging malungkot rin para kay Tita Bootz Yabut founder ng Community-Based HIV Screening ng totally niya ipinasara ang kanyang Rainbow Barracks at ang ibang Gay Bar ay ginawang restaurant dulot ng COVID-19 pandemic, ngunit dahil sa kanyang matagal na niyang adbokasiya na pagsuporta sa kampanya ng Department of Health para tulungan na madagdagan ang kamalayan at ma protektahan ang mga kabataan ngayon hinggil sa HIV-AIDS.
“Alam natin sa panahon natin ngayon ay mas agresibo na ang mga kabataan pero karamihan na tinatamaan are men having sex with men although may mga babae rin na alaga ni Dr Celia Flor Brillantes, kami lamang ang tumutulong na nagte test at checking ng kanilang dugo sa mga babaeng mga kasamahan namin at weather positive or negative pero pag may nag positive ay dinadala namin ito sa clinic kay doktora para agad malunasan at magamot, lagi namin ina advise sa kanila na magkaron ng proteksyon lagi. Marami akong kaibigan na namayapa dahil sa HIV-AIDS so, sa mga ganitong pagkakataon ko na lang sila inaalala ang pag gunita ng International AIDS Candlelight memorial,” pagtatapos ni Yabut. Mario Oclaman / FNS
