Concepcion is the first stop in Team Dugong Bughaw’s outreach awareness program.
ILOILO CITY, Philippines—In an effort to help people know the science and stop the stigma on the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Team Dugong Bughaw (TDB) embarked on its first stop of the five-town Project Abot-Kamay (PAK) project in Concepcion, Iloilo, last October.
TDB conducted its signature Project High Five awareness activity in front of 397 students and faculty at the Roberto H. Tirol National High School in Concepcion.
The organization’s trained advocates discussed HIV, prevention and treatment, and stigma and discrimination, as well mental health, through engaging talks and interactive activities with the students.
Grade 11 student James Mosqueda said that his expectation to acquire a lot of knowledge that would open their minds to societal issues, was met.
“When I joined the Project Abot-kamay (PAK), I am was able to learn how HIV and AIDS works and also, on how to handle and prevent this Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI), by the help of PEP and PREP, U=U and the acronym ABCDE,” Mosqueda shared.
“In addition, we also learn how to handle correctly the stress, anxiety and peer pressure caused by the judgment of the people in the society. But aside from this knowledge that I acquired l also learn how to connect and build friendship among the participants and staff,” he added.
Mosqueda also said that their participation as part of the youth is important, both personally and for the future of society.
“I believe that our participation in these campaigns as young people is very important because, first, most cases of these STIs happen in our stage of adulthood. Second, we are the most expressive and most sensitive members of society. And last, we have the choice to address these problems by sharing with our peers, friends and classmates the knowledge that we acquired during the PAK, the choice to be an advocate to prevent these societal issues and the choice to go to the right path in order to achieve a healthier Western Visayas,” he said.
The school’s designated guidance counselor, Grace Alvarez, said that the project was helpful in affecting the students’ perspectives about HIV, particularly in creating HIV awareness and reducing stigma and discrimination against Persons Living with HIV.
She also expressed that the activity was essential in complementing their existing health education programs.
“It is necessary for students to have knowledge, awareness about HIV and other health related concepts through school-based HIV education programmes in order to make significant changes in their knowledge and attitudes which affects the sexual behaviour of young people nowadays. This may lead to significant increases in the use of condoms, reductions in sexual health problems, such as unwanted pregnancy and prefer to abstain from sex if possible,” she said.
Concepcion was one of the sites where TDB conducted another project, Project AKKAP, and the positive experience and active participation of young people during that project was the catalyst for TDB to return to the town for this new endeavor.
Kent Ganadillo, one of TDB facilitators, said that it was also a learning experience for the organization.
“I learned that there are still a lot of things that is needed to work on with the advocacy. But, with the help and support of the faculty and student volunteers, it is easier and more fun to teach them about the education and importance of the provided talks,” Ganadillo said.
Project Abot-Kamay aims to address HIV through a combination prevention approach that integrates biomedical, behavioral, and structural interventions.
Aligned with UNAIDS’ guidelines, the project seeks to extend TDB’s reach to at least one town in each of Iloilo Province’s legislative districts.
Aside from Concepcion, TDB also took its PAK and Project High Five to the towns of Oton, Leon, and Pototan.
This article is written with the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the purpose of this website.
