11/12/2025
๐๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐ || ๐๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ก ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ข๐ ๐ง; ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ, ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ญ๐ก๐ฌ
Seeking to establish an informed and healthy academic environment, the University Student Council (USC) together with the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences Student Council (CNAHSSC), College of Science Student Council (CSCSC), and the University Medical and Dental Clinic conducted an STI and HIV-AIDS Awareness Campaign, on December 10, 2025, at the UEP Centennial Hall.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Mary Sandie Jaymie Tan, University Clinic Director, emphasized the need for accurate information accessible health care, pressing on the role of student leaders in being the catalyst of change.
โWhen you speak about HIV awareness, prevention and ending stigma, your words carry away that no poster or candidate ever could. You have the power to make testing normal, to make conversations about s*xual health acceptable, and to make compassion the default response to our extension coordinators,โ Dr. Tan declared.
๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐: ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ง๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฒ๐ญ๐ก๐ฌ
Delving into the vast challenges in healthcare, Dr. Joseph Cary O. Tomada, hospital chief of Allen District Hospital, opened his session, underscoring the significance of youth engagement in awareness campaigns as the age group 15-24 have the highest cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
Thereafter, he proceeded to break down the categories of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) along with their symptoms, differences, and medical photographs. He further pressed that STI is not limited to HIV, and they are common such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis.
Dr. Tomada expanded his discussion on the HIV, a common viral STI that attacks the cells responsible for the bodyโs immune defense. Afterward, he distinguished HIV from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), accentuating the fact that HIV is the virus that can lead to AIDS, while the latter is a syndrome that manifests when the immune system is severely compromised.
โAcquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It is a condition where the body can no longer fight off infection due to destroyed CD4 T cells and many opportunistic infections that invade the body without medication, proper treatment, or personal immunization. What is HIV? A virus. What is AIDS? A syndrome," he conveyed.
In the course of elaborating the ways HIV can be transmitted, Dr. Tomada also debunked common related myths that it can be spread through saliva, sweat, and touching and affirmed that it can be transmitted not only through blood, unprotected s*x, and pregnancy, but also through other means.
As a final point, he introduced treatments such as Antiretroviral Therapy and reminded that there is not yet a cure for HIV. He also encouraged the students and explained the significance of getting tested regularly.
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐: ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐
Examining past events, Emmanuel Tijares, HIV hub manager of Northern Samar Provincial Hospital, began his informative talk on the location, time, and means of HIV transfer to humans.
From discussing how the virus was named and the stigma that came along with it, he further proceeded to present cases of HIV internationally and nationally, diving into the depths of the details of each one for a deeper understanding.
โNgayon, alam niyo na na walang pinipili ang sakit na ito. Kahit sino pwede magkaroon. Ang importante dito, alam na ninyo. Kahit nga ang pinaka sikat, magkakaroon,โ Tijares explained.
On top of that, Tijares provided data of HIV cases in Northern Samar, spanning from 2015-2024, covering a whole 10 year period highlighting the trends and patterns in the province. In addition, he stressed how worse the case is as the age of people diagnosed with HIV is getting younger.
โPag nakito niyo na bumababa ang data, meaning nag s-stone lamang ang dami ng kaso kasi marami na ang nagpapatest. Marami na ang gustong malaman ang status nila at marami na rin ang gustong ma protesyonan," said Tijares.
๐๐๐ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ข๐ ๐ง ๐๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌโ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฌ
In an interview with the Pillar, Irish Mantilla, Bachelor of Arts in Sociology student, expressed how the event helped her dive deep into the roots of HIV and build an analysis for their on-going research.
โAn mga narealize ko po, an HIV is a serious case po na dapat naton tutukan kasi it does not only affect the person na mayda HIV but also the community. Naapektohan din an kanra overall performance and [the] life of people and kun paano nira ma-achieve an kanra goals," Mantilla shared.
Along the same lines, a college representative, who opted anonymity, remarked how he learned new wisdom through attending while also suggesting ways for improvement of the program.
โAs part of LGBTQI+ community, mas na enlighten pa kami sa mga na-discuss san mga speakers. An (gap) la is sa program flow is kunta is more on time," he noted.
Words by Mychel Matnog
Photos by Queen Surio
