Caritas Month 2022: EmpoweRED: An HIV Awareness Campaign

By Janine Angela R. Teotico, Φ 2021, Class 2024 

Last March 5, the Phi Lambda Delta Sorority held EmpoweRED: An HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign to facilitate discussions that help individuals and victims empower themselves by viewing HIV from a different perspective and finding medical and psychosocial support. 
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EmpoweRED has been an annual event since 2014 but due to the limitations of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been held online via Zoom and Facebook live for the benefit of high school students in the Philippines. Despite these limitations, the Sorority was able to reach more students, increasing the impact of the advocacy. With 6 partner high schools and 8 partner organizations, over 700 live participants engaged in the event, delivering an even more fruitful and meaningful discussion.

The Sorority also invited 3 speakers: Sir Jurgen Rushell G. Rapacon, Sir Robert Ignacio Lim, and Dr. Rossana A. Ditangco. Sir Jurgen Rapacon is a DOH-certified HIV, AIDS, and STI Peer Educator and Counselor who used acronyms like HIV 101 in 20 (minutes) and 6 numbers: 344801 corresponding to the 3 modes of transmission, 4 body fluids of HIV infection, 4 principles of a successful HIV transmission, 8 preventive strategies, 0 discrimination and 1 advocacy. It was truly an effective way of remembering the medical concepts about HIV and AIDS. 

Sir Robert Lim is a vocal HIV/AIDS and Malaria Advocate, DOH Certified HIV Counselor, and Training Coordinator of Positive Action Foundation Phils. Inc. (PAFPI), a non-profit organization that empowers people with HIV / AIDS and their families to live a normal, happy, and productive life in the mainstream of a supportive society. He discussed the importance of U = U principle, wherein an undetectable virus is also an untransmissible virus thus emphasizing the importance of adherence to treatment, supporting advocacies, and making HIV services accessible and free of stigma for everyone.

The last speaker, Dr. Rossana Ditangco, a medical specialist and HIV Research Program Lead at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), had a free-flowing discussion about the very important role of the youth in preventing HIV / AIDS. She also emphasized how necessary it is to educate about the risky behaviors and appropriate intervention since the transmission of the virus is not exclusive to a certain type of population. She also opened the discussion on how risky behaviors may be manifestations of mental health and gender sensitivity concerns that also need to be addressed to prevent behaviors that may put individuals at risk for HIV. 

This event was filled with high-yield lectures and discussions about HIV / AIDS to raise awareness especially among the youth so they may empower themselves with the correct knowledge and avenue for support. With the help of the speakers who took part in this advocacy, partner organizations and schools, the Phi Lambda Delta Sorority urges everyone to be aware, be informed, and be empoweRED.