Bazzo Asian Bar and Resto presents singer RJ Cruz in Back to Life, a birthday party show for a cause. The show is for the benefit of The Love Fund, a project that provides medical assistance to the indigent PLHIVs (People Living with HIV).

The show will be on January 10, 2013 at Bazzo Bar, Bluewave, Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City. First show starts at 8:30 pm, and the second show starts at 11:30 pm.

For tickets and sponsorship, please contact Mr. Johnray Manansala at 09278111504.

Love Yourself, an advocacy group which aims to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS through awareness, counseling, and education, will hold a free and confidential HIV screening in Makati. The project is dubbed, Makati SEB (Screening Exclusively for Boys).

Makati SEB will be held on November 23, Friday, 5 PM to 2 AM. With regards to the details and venue of the testing, it will be sent to pre-registered participants. To register and join, please visit this LINK.

The event is part of the group's HIV Triduum, a 3-day event in preparation for World AIDS Day 2012.

The convention, which was previously announced to be a two-day event, has been set to a single day: October 19, 2012. The venue is still at The Bayleaf Hotel in Intramuros, Manila.

The following transcript is taken from the fb page of the AIDS Society of the Philippines, Inc., as well as their online event invitation:

AIDS Society of the Philippines, Inc. cordially invites you to its 12th Philippine National Convention on AIDS this October 19, 2012 at The Bayleaf Hotel, Intramuros, Manila.

TOPICS:

Medical Response: Is it Treatment or Cure?

• Patient Zero: The Berlin Patient
• Understanding HIV Treatment (Anti-Retroviral Therapy)
• Nursing Care

Social Response

• Understanding Most-at-Risk Population
• Men having Sex with Men (MSM), Social Media, and HIV

Innovation in Prevention

• The Doctor's Call: Provider-Initiated Counseling and Testing
• De-stigmatizing HIV Testing
• Addressing Risks in Sexual Behavior via Red Light Special

Local Response

• Making Partnerships Work
• HIV and AIDS Interventions among Business Process Outsourcing
• Corporate Social Response

Please send scanned copy of deposit slip via fax or email:

(02) 376-2546 or info@aidsphil.org

On-site Registration Fee:                     P 1200

Member On-site Registration Fee:      P 1000   

Students:                                                P   500 

Mode of Payment:

• Cash
• Check: payable to AIDS Society of the Philippines, Inc.

Account Name:              AIDS Society of the Philippines, Inc.

Bank Name:                   BPI-Timog Branch

Account Number:           0271-0357-64

You can contact AIDS Society of the Philippines, Inc. through:

(02) 376-2541

aidsphil.org

facebook.com/aidsphil

twitter.com/aidsphil

Take The Test Project is a registered, non-profit organization whose advocacy focuses on HIV education and testing. They also offer free services on HIV counseling and testing, syphilis testing, referral to HIV hubs and support groups, and training on STI, HIV, and AIDS education.


What:     Batch 11 of Basic STI, HIV, and AIDS Education Training

When:    9AM to 7PM, September 22, 2012 (Saturday)

Where:   Positive Action Foundation Philippines, Inc. (PAFPI)
                2613 Dian Street, Malate, Manila


Please contact Mr. Jay Young at 0917-8909131 for details and other registration information. Visit also their facebook account at facebook.com/takethetest

Take The Test is a registered, non-profit organization that was established in April 2010. Their advocacy focuses on HIV education and testing, and they provide services such as free testing and counseling, outreach, and educational resources across various communities, but with particular regards to men who have sex with men.

What:      Free HIV Testing

When:    August 19, 2012 (Sunday), 3pm to 7pm only

Where:   Bernardo Social Hygiene Clinic

        

                 2^nd floor, Bernardo Health Center (beside Ramon Magsaysay High School)

                Cubao, Quezon City

Contact numbers: 0917-5844878 / 0999-8844878 / 0932-8844878

You can also help the group through personal donations which would fund their future projects. Your donations will help the in procuring testing materials, and will fund event costs such as administration fees, transportation, housing, and food.

Please visit Take The Test at:

facebook.com/takethetest

twitter.com/TakeTheTestProj

takethetest.ph

Today, August 16, marks the feast day of Saint Roch, the patron saint of plagues, pestilence, and AIDS. He is also known as Saint Roque and Saint Rocco.

Saint Roque is usually depicted in Catholic churches as the one with a walking stick on one hand while his other hand is pointing to a wound in one of his knees. A dog is sitting by his side with bread in its mouth.

Saint Roque was born in 1295 at Montpelier, France to a wealthy and noble government family. He was born with a red birthmark in the shape of the cross on his chest. When his parents died at the age of twenty, he gave away his considerable fortune to the poor, handed over the reigns of the governorship to his uncle, and went on a pilgrimage to Italy.

In Italy, he was very diligent in tending the sick, and is said to have effected many miraculous cures by prayer, the sign of the cross, and the touch of his hand. Due to his constant contact with the plague victims, he became ill himself. Because of his illness, he wandered into the forest to die.

Away from the people, Saint Roque made himself a hut of boughs and leaves. He was miraculously supplied with water by a spring that arose in the place. He also survived hunger when a dog constantly supplied him with bread. The dog would lick his wounds, eventually healing them.

On his return to Montpelier, he was arrested as a spy and was thrown into prison. The orders ironically came from his uncle, who was then the governor of the city, who failed to recognize him. Saint Roque did not reveal himself to avoid worldly glory.

He lived in the prison for five years until his death on August 16, 1327. Only upon his death was the birthmark on his chest was discovered, and the governor grievously saddened by the loss.

Prayer for AIDS to Saint Roque

Dear mendicant Pilgrim,
You once took care
Of sufferers from the plague
And were always ready to help others
By kind service and fervent prayers.
You yourself had no home
And you died in a dungeon.
No wonder countless invalids
Have confidently invoked your help.
Please grant a cure to

(name of sufferer),

and help us all become spiritually healthy.
Amen.

References:

http://365rosaries.blogspot.com/2011/08/august-16-saint-roch.html

http://newapologia.com/prayer-aids-saint-roque/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Roch

image taken from: http://theloveyourselfproject.blogspot.com

The Love Yourself Project is an advocacy group which aims to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among high risk groups such as the LGBT-MSM and the youth through awareness, counseling, and education.

They recently opened “The Love Yourself Hub” in 1850 Leon Guinto Street in Malate, Manila, which serves as a resource center for high risk groups to further increase their level of education and awareness with regards to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections.

With the support of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), one of the group’s main programs is to conduct HIV Counseling and Testing.

This July 22, Sunday, they will be conducting free testing for HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B at Victoria Court, Malate.

image taken from: http://theloveyourselfproject.blogspot.com

Personal Note:

I have attended a couple of street parties in Malate in the last two years, and I have seen booths offering free HIV testing, but I never bothered to get myself tested. One reason is that there is fear that my privacy might be compromised. Second reason, there’s that fear that if the result will turn out positive, that will just ruin my mood for the night, and my outlook in life starting the day after. Third reason, I had that false confidence that I am negative for HIV.

What I realized now is that if only I approached the booth, I would have received key information regarding HIV/AIDS since the trained personnel in those booths also offer counseling services before and after the test.

The essence of this free testing is that if the result turns out negative, then one can take steps to ensure to remain negative. However, if the result turns out positive, then one can receive the proper guidance and treatment.

I salute the efforts of support groups that they reach as far as Puerto Galera to offer free HIV testing. The target groups are there, especially during the Holy Week, and the effort to bring their programs there is highly commendable.

What I do hope right now is that the topic of HIV/AIDS should be openly talked about within groups; group of friends, among employees, and even among students. The purpose is not necessarily to bring fear to the general population, but to spread awareness. There are a lot of common misconceptions regarding the spread of HIV, and these should be corrected. Further education among groups is really necessary.

So to the members of high risk groups, who, by chance, get to read my blog, please do yourselves a favor and have yourselves tested.

The life that you will save is yours, so please take the test.

image taken from: http://theloveyourselfproject.blogspot.com