The city’s legislative body has approved on first reading a proposed ordinance seeking to prevent the spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the city.
Councilor Levy Lloyd Orcales with Councilor Joel Alangsab as a co-author, the proposed measure is aimed at bolstering the city’s mechanisms in curbing the increase of HIV cases by creating a strong network among clinical and public health professionals, the local government unit, community-based organizations, private agencies, and other relevant partners.
Orcales and Alangsab cited that Baguio City remains to have the highest number of HIV cases in the region, breaching the 300-mark in November 2018.
Assistant City Health Officer Celia Brillantes of the Baguio AIDS Watch Council (BAWC) said that HIV cases in the city had reached 88 this year.
Through this ordinance, it shall be the policy of the city government to “declare war against HIV/AIDS” by actively promoting public awareness on the causes, modes of transmission, consequences, means of prevention and control of HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) through comprehensive and city-wide information and educational campaigns carried out in schools, training centers, workplaces, and the grassroots.
To achieve an integrative and holistic approach in addressing the rise of HIV and AIDS cases in the city, the Baguio City AIDS Coordinating Council (BCACC) shall be created and tasked to unify the local government of Baguio, Civil Service Organizations (CSOs), faith-based/youth/women organizations, the academe, and the business sector.
(Jordan G. Habbiling, photo courtesy by Joseph Manzano)