By Threshia LeAnn Ybañez
Philippine culture undergoes constant change with each generation that passes by, which is reflected in every Filipinos’ wide-ranging thoughts and decisions on how they handle situations that can affect their lives.
Hosts James Ramada and Gina Donato were joined by Jhon Lawrence Legaspi, the social communication committee head of KaChat (Kabataan Community/health advocacy team); Princess Yvone Salamat, community mobilizer/organizer of Likhaan Center for Women’s Health Inc.; and Dr. Niel Lacuna, a primary care physician from Love Yourself Inc. to talk about their advocacies and offer comfort and support for individuals about Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The panel also talked about how their respective organizations offer help and support, especially to those people who are living with HIV.
Increasing number of HIV cases
Dr. Lacuna explains that HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system, weakening it in the process. Moreover, if the virus remains inside the body, it will lead to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) that can worsen the situation.
His statement is supported by data from the Department of Health, which cites an uptick of 5,000 HIV cases recorded among youths, from January to April this year, a 550% increase from 4,400 in 2010 to 29,600 in 2024.
Among the causes behind the surge in cases is the lack of awareness among the youth on taking tests to ensure the status of their health.
Proper dissemination of correct information
Meanwhile, Dr. Lacuna made a clarification about a common misconception about HIV; that it cannot be transmitted through saliva, personal belongings, and coming into physical contact with an infected individual, noting that an intimate contact serves as the breeding ground for the transmission of the virus from one person to another.
Social stigma also serves as the barrier towards better understanding of HIV. Some people are scared to undergo proper procedure because of fear about what other people might say about them, resulting in discriminatory practices that are echoed in Philippine society.
Education also plays a significant role when it comes to informing people about the non-curable disease, which should be integrated with proper communication channels to lead an effective discourse that enables people to have increased awareness, as well as take appropriate action for the dilemma at hand.
Talking about morality
Stigmas and stereotypes need to be addressed and clarified, dismissing divisive claims that may affect how a person living with HIV (PLHIV) sees the world from one’s point of view.
PLHIVs are simply victims of a distorted understanding of the disease that is prevalent in society; they are not coquettish nor immoral. Instead, they need people who can make them feel safe and secure without any hesitation, knowing that there are non-government organizations willing to help those who are suffering from the non-curable disease.
Before the end of the episode, Princess Yvone Salamat promotes their flagship program called “Safe Sex Kit”. It contains condoms, water-based lubricants, pills, and instructional materials to promote knowledge about HIV. Such can be accessible for everyone, especially to the youth, allowing them to have unrestricted access to the tools and information about the sexually-transmitted disease.
Furthermore. Jhon Lawrence Legaspi noted the availability of “6G ng Sex”, a reading material targeted especially for the youth, that talks about the step-by-step information about sex. Concurrently, they also released new reading materials for the parents. Said reading materials will encourage parents to understand sex as a normal occurrence and how they can better communicate sex to their children, especially that children tend to be more inquisitive as they transition into adolescence.
Gina Donato concluded the episode with a lovely take away about the topic. She noted that “We [should] always think of the acronym HIV [in a positive light]. H for help, do not be afraid to ask for help. Do not keep it to yourself, seek [proper advice on] medical and mental health. I stands for information, [stressing the need] to be well-informed in the status of the people we know. V for Violate. Do not violate human rights. It will start with yourself, do not see yourself as a weak person. This has been an overdue issue for a very long time, and I think this is the right time for all of us to be unified. ”
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