22/06/2017
Last May 6 to 7, 2017, different sectors convened at the Taqueban Building in San Jose, Candon City to participate in the Communication Planning for the Prevention and Control of HIV-AIDS seminar.
The seminar was organized by the Candon Youth For Empowerment Movement, Inc. (CYM) and was attended by representatives from the LGBT community, club owners, BPOs, local and national government units, the academe, and youth leaders. Its aim was to comprehensively tackle one of the country's major issues and to create campaign action plans for HIV-AIDS Awareness to Sustainable Development programs.
The National Youth Commission’s Commissioner-at-Large, James Caesar Ventura, opened the seminar with a keynote address, noting how 67% of the 41,000 HIV-AIDS cases in the Philippines from 1984 to February 2017 come from the age bracket of 15 to 24 years old.
Guest lecturer Dr. Cappia Taqueban shared her expertise on HIV Problem Analysis, Objective Analysis, Information-Education Communications, and Behavioral Change Communications. Dr. Taqueban is a consultant from the International Center for Development Communication Extension and a training officer from Kasetsart University in Thailand.
Anastacio Marasigan, Jr. of TLF-Share, an organization funded by UNICEF, discussed the myths and facts on HIV-AIDS. He reinforced that the controversial disease is not only a health issue but also a human rights issue. He also differentiated different stages and modes of HIV, and briefly introduced RA 8504, or the AIDS Law.
Attendees were then grouped and tasked to come up with action plans for the HIV-AIDS Awareness Campaign for their selected target sectors. One group will build a database of the LGBT community in Candon City, while another group will undertake an awareness status check among Senior High school students thru a Slogan and Poster Making Contest. The final group will provide basic HIV-AIDS education to s*x workers and entertainers of Candon and do a house-to-house follow-up. The action plans were critiqued by other groups and Dr. Taqueban for efficiency and feasibility.
An HIV-positive guest from HASH (HIV and AIDS Support House) then shared his testimony about his ongoing and current experience and gave a clearer picture of the issue at hand.
