Quezon City

Quotes :

Interview on Quezon City HIV Program, 2018

“We can now able to see the dramatic increase of People Living with HIV or the term recently affected by HIV. Quezon City health Department came up with various programs, this particular program became the Klinika Bernardo. With the help of UNAIDS and various institutions, we came up with various programs, to ensure that there be more people coming in and having themselves tested. And then it evolved to a treatment hub, its now having yourself tested, and then evaluating you, and now once evaluated, we treat you. The local government invested 8 times, aside from the infrastructure of 43 million, we have given ourselves a target that by 2013 would have at least eradicated the issue of AIDS and HIV and it is best to invest heavily now than realizing ten or fifteen years from now that the epidemic has spread already. Remember AIDS grow exponentially, but the resources of government does not grow exponentially, so if will be able to do it now then there’s less investment that will come in in the future because you prevented the spread of HIV/AIDS.”
 

Quezon City Brochure on HIV Investments, 2017

“Quezon City will continue to be a transformative force in ending AIDS in the Philippines”

HIV Summit 2017, Novotel Hotel, Quezon City

“In the year 1993-1994, I remember that the Quezon City Council is forming the Quezon City STI/HIV/AIDS Council, the epidemic started in the late 80’s, the awareness started in the early 90’s in the Philippines, but the actual implementation of the program started 2 decades after, na binigyan ng seryosong tingin yung pangangalaga sa mga PLHIV or People Living with HIV/AIDS. Have yourself tested, once you’ve been tested at negative ka, tuturuan ka naming to use the prophylactics, its better safe than sorry, if you are positive then for the rest of your life, the Quezon City Government will sustain you for your medication, so huwag kayo matakot. Let us everybody know that we have a concrete program addressing PLHIV and AIDS here in Quezon City and in the Philippines”

Cities Ending the AIDS Epidemic, New York, June 6, 2017

“Since becoming Mayor of Quezon City, I have always seen the health and wellbeing of the people of this beautiful city as my first and foremost priority. I feel a personal responsibility to deal with threats to the health and wellbeing of Quezon City residents head-on. The HIV epidemic that so severely affects same-sex attracted men and transgender women in the city is such a threat—it has evolved into a serious public health emergency.

Quezon City has done Strategies and Interventions in reducing the spread of HIV in recent years. However, I realize that more is needed to put a halt to the epidemic. My recent Mayoral order #5 was the first-ever city-level policy document institutionalizing peer outreach education as a strategy to address HIV; the Manual of Procedures that is in front of you is a direct result of my observation that quality standards and agreed common procedures for HIV peer outreach were lacking, and that such standards were necessary for the HIV response to be a success.

In line with the National Strategy on HIV of the Philippines, I urge all people and organizations working on HIV in our city to abide by the guidance presented in this document. I urge all people to share what they learn, whether it works or does not work; only by working together and learning from what we do can we aspire to achieve our ultimate goal, which is zero HIV transmission and full access for all people living with HIV to life-saving antiretroviral treatment.

As long as I am in function, I will support the efforts of the Quezon City Health Department and civil society organizations to achieve these goals; I would like to compliment the HIV team of Quezon City Health Department and all the peer outreach workers on their efforts and wish them all the best in their important mission.”

Quezon City-UNAIDS Coffee Table Book, 2017

The Philippines is at a critical juncture in its response to HIV.

Unlike some other countries in South-east Asia, AIDS has largely spared the country. For more than two decades, the Philippines has experienced relatively low levels of new HIV infections. However, all indications are that if the country does not act now, the epidemic could soon spiral out of control.

As the epidemic has quietly evolved, it has  become concentrated in specific populations. For example among men who have sex with men(MSM), and people who inject drugs and their partners. These are often the very populations with least access to comprehensive health services.

And yet, as the Philippines moves towards middle-income status, external support for the AIDS response is set to decline. This means the country must ensure that the limited resources impact. The need for a sustained increase in domestic HIV investment is also becoming increasingly urgent.

Coverage of HIV services for those most in need is growing, but still far below the level needed to contain the epidemic. Nationally, HIV prevention reaches less than 15% of MSM, an estimated 16% of female sex workers and about 6% of people who injected drugs. According to recent data, only 20% of all people estimated to be living with HIV had been tested and were accessing treatment. Things are changing fast, but the vast majority of those in need of medicines still do not know their HIV status.>

Because stigma, discrimination and marginalization still block access to services, fewer people are seen at each subsequent stage of the HIV services ‘cascade’, highlighting some of the barriers health services face when reaching out to these communities.

Alongside other countries, the Philippines continue its rapid urbanization. Our towns and cities bear a large part of the HIV burden, and the country will not control HIV without effective action in our local governments and in our neighborhoods. Our job in Quezon City is by no means finished. We hope that sharing the Quezon City HIV Program through this book provides inspiration to our colleagues, communities and friends in other localities.

HIV101 Video, 2016

Magandang araw!

Bilang pagpapalakas laban sa pagdami ng  mahahawaan ng Human Immuno-deficiency Virus, o HIV, madaming  programa ang sinisimulan na at isinasagawa sa ating lungsod ng Quezon.

Ayon sa datos, pabata nang pabata ang mga nahahawaan, at karamihan ay mga lalaki. Atin nang nabuo ang teaching manual natin para sa pagtuturo ng STI, HIV at AIDS sa mga eskuwelahan sa pakikipagtulungan sa Pilipinas SHELL Foundation - Philippine Business Sector Response to HIV and AIDS program.

Ngayon naman, aking handog sa inyo, itong video na “HIV 101 for Young Key Affected Population”, narito ang video. Panoorin natin.