In the amalgamation of different stakeholders, including advocates, local government units, community-based organizations, and health workers, a booth that elucidates the prime advocacy on HIV-AIDS brought meaningful services to locals and tourists at 2025 Session Road in Bloom as part of the celebration of the Panagbenga Festival 2025 on February 24-March 2.
Stationed adjacent to the Baguio Cathedral, the booth offered week-long services of free HIV screening and provision of free condoms and lubricants on top of a display of colorful and sincere advocacy towards eliminating HIV-AIDS and bringing forth positivity and festivity towards one’s individuality.
The endeavor brought in efforts from the local government unit of the City of Baguio through the Baguio Health Services Office headed by Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes, City Health Officer, and with the Department of Health-Cordillera’s National AIDS STI Prevention and Control Program led by Darwin F. Babon, DMO III and NASPCP Regional Program Manager.
Local HIV community-based organization supplemented the initiative through proactive groundwork participation which yielded a total of 697 individuals tested and 7,119 individuals received condoms and lubricants—a combination of Baguio locals, Cordilleran tourists, and non-CAR residents. This number is 16.13% higher in terms of testing outcomes from last year’s engagement.
This is attributed to the collective effort of Sustained Health Initiatives of the Philippines-Baguio City, Northern Sanctuary-Metropolitan Community Church, Family Planning Organization of the Philippines Baguio-Benguet Chapter, and Balay Marvi by LoveYourself.
With an array of advocates continuing the cause, Gayhope Alangsab, Nurse II of the Baguio CHSO-RHWC, prides this endeavor as it champions local community response towards HIV-AIDS and sexually transmitted infections. She also shared that the inclusion of HIV testing services in Session Road in Bloom has been a mainstay for the annual event, making it a recognized best practice from the city of Baguio.
Activities like these continue to illuminate the community’s awareness of HIV-AIDS. Darwin F. Babon emphasizes that this is an effort to reduce prejudice and stigma by normalizing availing the services related to eliminating HIV-AIDS transmission and incidences. He shared that through this endeavor, more people could be motivated to know their HIV status, free from stigma and discrimination.
With the multiplied efforts of the stakeholders that helped the advocacy blossom, continuous action is ensured as HIV cases continue to rise exponentially. This activity is an affirmation that working together would make ripples of change, an epitome of harmony and solidarity in advocacy. // Mark Gonzalo D. Benter, Health Program Officer II, DOH-CHD-CAR
