We will bounce back

The MDG period ended and the report card of the Philippines was marked with bloody red. We were not able to reverse the epidemic. Actually, we cannot even halt its spread. It has to stabilize first from the spurt of new infections, in the next 5 years, before we can talk of halting it.

But this could be a blessing in disguise.

With good data, better information, evidence-based communication, many more Filipinos are working with us, voicing out their support, standing up to tell everyone that we can do something.

Miss Pia Wurtzbach stunned the world, most specially the judges, when she spoke eloquently about her plans to raise awareness about HIV in our country. Indeed an enigmatic beauty with a heart, she was crowned to be 2015’s most beautiful woman of the world, the 2015 Miss Universe.

For the first time, Malacanang, through its Official Gazette, released infomercials about HIV prevention in January 2016.

The chair of the Philippine National AIDS Council herself shared in November 2015 vital statistics of the epidemic, warning that if we do the same things, we will have more than 130,000 cases by 2022. She verbally expressed her intention to invest more in the HIV program. The same can be said about the highest leaders of the Health Department, HIV is in their advocacy.

By mid -2015, the House of Representatives passed on third reading its consolidated version of the AIDS Law Amendment.

Just this February 2016, a senate version of the AIDS Law amendment has been filed after the senate working committees conducted multiple stakeholder consultations requesting experts, including the UN, and communities for clear evidences of effective HIV prevention and control.

Albeit not perfect, these 2 landmark legislations are laudable.

Our cities, particularly Quezon City, are leading examples that our cities play a key role in bringing down HIV. They are fast tracking the response to overtake the epidemic by investing more local funds, innovating local interventions by bringing services outside of the usual facilities or at least opening them until midnight so that communities in need will access them, and most of all infecting others, not with HIV but with enthusiasm that Yes, cities can!

NEXT - Papang, thank you, I know my HIV status

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HIV Around me  |  AIDS Work  |  Did we forsesee this?  |  Where did we fail?  |  The legendary AIDS Law  |  No Cases. Where did it go?  |  Confused  |  Wildfire  |  We will bounce back  |  Papang, thank you, I know my HIV status 

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