Peace Corps volunteers, child of HIV positive mom to grace Aklan's World AIDS Day celebration
by Venus G. Villanueva
Kalibo, Aklan (26 November) -- An eleven year-old boy, child of an HIV-positive mother and a father ho is already dead is this year's invited spokesperson for Aklan's World AIDS Day celebration here, highlight of which will be held December 7 at the Governor Corazon L. Cabagnot Tourism and Training Center.
Caca Carillo, United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) Coordinator for Aklan said the boy was invited to speak before members of the Provincial AIDS Council, Aklan's provincial and municipal officials and stakeholders so they will better understand the impact and effect of HIV-AIDS in the family, in the community, and in the persons immediately involved.
Carillo said the boy is not an Aklanon, but it has been the tradition of the Provincial AIDS Council to invite spokespersons every World AIDS Day celebration here who are Persons Living With HIV-AIDS (PLWHAs) to give their testimonies or stories - how they got infected; how they accepted their situation and what they are doing so others will not experience or suffer what they have suffered.
For the first time too, Carillo said 13 Peace Corps Volunteers now deployed in various parts of the country will come together to Aklan on December 7 to speak to students here on the danger of HIV-AIDS. These PCVs, according to Carillo, will be spending their own transportation money in coming to Aklan.
This year, some Aklan municipalities will have their own celebration of World AIDS Day, according to Carillo, the reason why the province's observation will be week-long, "so the Provincial AIDS Council could also join the municipalities in their activities and lend them support".
According to Carillo, some municipalities which will have celebrations are Batan, Tangalan, Nabas and Altavas, while a partner organization, the Men Opposed to Violence Against Women and Children Everywhere (MOVE) will also hold activities in support of the observance.
Some major activities of the province in celebration of World AIDS Day besides the school lectures of the PCVs include a press conference, a World AIDS Day (WAD) Sadsad, candle lighting ceremony at the Pastrana Park and distribution of red ribbons.
Aklan's joining of the yearly Global Celebration of World AIDS Day is one of its pioneering program contribution to meeting the Millenium Development Goals #6, HIV and AIDS. Theme of this year's celebration is "Keep the Promise: Leadership". (PIA) [top]
