Bacolod City – An ordinance promulgating policies and measures for the prevention, treatment, care, and support of STI, HIV and AIDS in Bacolod City, was approved by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod on first reading recently.
The ordinance also aims to strengthen the Bacolod City Local Aids Council, appropriate funds and provide penalties for its violation. It also repeals City Ordinance 468, series of 2008.
The ordinance to be known as the “Bacolod City Comprehensive STI, HIV and AIDS Prevention and Control Ordinance of Bacolod City,” states that Sexually Transmitted Infection, Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (STI, HIV and AIDS) are public health concerns that have wide ranging social, political and economic repercussions.
Thus, the City of Bacolod, shall establish policies and programs to prevent the spread of STI, HIV and AIDS and deliver treatment, care and support services to persons living with HIV in accordance with evidence-based strategies and approaches that follow the principles of human rights, gender equality, and meaningful participation of communities affected by the epidemic, among others.
The ordinance provides for the creation of the Bacolod City Local AIDS Council (BCLAC) to realize its (ordinance’s) goals and objectives and ensure that the implementation of the city’s response to the local STI, HIV, and AIDS situation is aligned with national policies and targets.
The Council will be the lead, oversight, advisory, coordinative, and monitoring and evaluation body of the city’s STI, HIV, and AIDS and related policies, plans, programs, and activities.
Unless otherwise prohibited, defined, and penalized under Republic Act No. 11166, any person/s found guilty of violating any provisions of this Ordinance shall be meted with the following penalties: a fine of P1,000 and/or imprisonment of not more than one month for first offense; a fine of P3,000 and /or imprisonment of not less than one month and one day but not more than three months for the second offense; and a fine of P5,000 and/or imprisonment of not less than three months and one day but not more than six months for the third offense.
The ordinance was authored by Councilor Celia Matea Flor and co-authored by Councilors Claudio Puentevella, Cindy Rojas, Em Ang, Psyche Marie Sy, Al Victor Espino, Jude Thaddeus Sayson, Simplicia Distrito, Jason Villarosa, and Vladimir Gonzalez. (Chrysee Semillano via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy of TVDS)
