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Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray Leads HIV Mass Screening MANILA, PHILIPPINES – After Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray visited LoveYourself, Inc. on Wednesday (27 February), the Filipina beauty queen invites everyone to get tested on 2 March 2019, Saturday  at LoveYourself community centers and its partner community-based organization. Dubbed as THIS IS ME: The Silver Lining HIV Screening Day, the purposeful event is a simultaneous HIV testing in Metro Manila, Cavite, Pampanga, Palawan, Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga. Interested individuals are encouraged to sign up at  http://go.loveyourself.ph/ThisIsMeCatriona . Joining LoveYourself on this endeavor are Decent Image of South Signal Association from Taguig, Juan AVES Love and Light, Cavite Positive Action Group The JCH Advocacy Inc., Posi+ive Movement and Project H4 in Luzon, Family Planning Organization of the Philippines – IloIlo in the Visayas, and Kagay-an PLUS - Preserving Life, Uniting Society Inc., Olympus Society of Dav...

By Jacob Lazaro My mother looked at me with a kind and gentle smile on her face. "It's okay. Tell me"  my mother said. "Ma I think I'm gay" I confessed looking in her eyes. Her smile slowly disappeared and her eyes widened in shock. Discovering yourself is an ongoing process,  it's normal and no one ever really stops. But when it comes to sexuality and sexual orientation, things get a bit more complicated - that people won't always be so kind. At LoveYourself Welcome in Sampaloc, Manila, Mark de Castro the community center coordinator organized “Welcome Cafe, Coming Out Stories Night”, an open forum where volunteers and clients could openly share their stories and thoughts about coming out. The following are reflections of what transpired throughout the session. My coming out story Three years ago I remember feeling like I was living a double life. I was Hannah Monatana here in Manila, where I study and in Laguna, my province I...

By Ronald Bugarin In this month of love, what can signify as the true essense of love is a relationship that is caring and accepting regardless of HIV status.   The term serodiscordant is made up of two root words: “Sero” which means blood and “Discordant” which means different or non-matching. A serodiscordant relationship, also known as a mixed - status, is a term usually used to refer to relationships where one partner is living with HIV and the other is non - reactive . The World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation published last April 2012 mentions that there are potential benefits for serodiscordant couples who get tested together for HIV infection and mutually disclose their HIV status.  Among the benefits mentioned are that the couple can make informed decisions together about HIV prevention since most serodiscordant couples adopt behaviours to protect their partner. Another potential benefit of couples testing together and sharing their results is that they can...

By Carlos Diego A. Rozul Change up your Valentine’s Day while feeling safe and secure with these hot spots in Metro Manila. Blocleaf Cafe , Butterfly Bar Manila , and Altermale are just some establishments that have joined in the Safe Spaces PH Project Whether you’re looking for somewhere new to take your significant other, are in the search for that special someone, or just want to treat yourself to a good time, try out these Safe Spaces. Blocleaf Cafe Blocleaf Having trouble brewing up ideas? Tucked in Del Pilar Street in Malate, Manila, Blocleaf sets the mood with natural light, warm wood detailing, good music, and lush indoor greens. Pair that up with their sunny cups of Philippine Specialty Coffee from Kalsada Coffee and you can have yourself a great start on the day of hearts. Blocleaf makes sure that their space open to everyone as possible, so adapting to the Safe Space Program was one more step towards inclusivity. “Safe Spaces PH gives us a discrete platform to inform and e...

By Mark Angello C. Ganon On October 6, 2018, 50 promising individuals completed Batch Meraki, LoveYourself’s 21st batch of volunteers. Held at the People’s Hall of SM Aura Premier, the orientation, led by HIV Counselor Bryan Galvez, welcomed the new volunteers as they embark on a new role as advocates of HIV and AIDS awareness. Meraki volunteers are welcomed by fellow LoveYourself volunteers in the batch orientation at the People’s Hall in SM Aura Premier last October 6, 2018 (photo by Jay Soliman) As new volunteers in the advocacy, Batch Meraki will take on the mantle of spreading consciousness on HIV, its prevention, and its treatment, all the while creating ripples of positive change in our community. With an exponentially increasing number of new HIV cases in our country, volunteers, both budding and seasoned, will all take on the challenge of promoting education to erradicate stigma, advocating preventive measures and treatment, and securing a safe space to foster love and care i...