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By LoveYourself Communications Moving through the eighth month of the community quarantine, many are still vigilant in protecting one another from COVID-19. Consistency, really is the key in preventing the further rise of cases in the country. Throughout 2020 however, it is important to remain responsive in reducing risk of HIV infection. On August 2020, National HIV Prevention Month introduced HIV Combination Prevention, a collection of methods that can be used in conjunction with each other to prevent HIV infection.  Aside from wearing your face mask, physical distancing, and staying at home there are many other ways we can be Safer Now from the twin pandemic. Condoms and Lube Condoms and water-based lubricant are as classic as cookies and milk! Found in groceries, convenience stores, and even some hospitality establishments, they're easy to find and simple to use. Great thing is  Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Pre-exposure prophylaxis is like your everyday armor you put on...

By Tino Largado The threat of COVID-19 still looms, and we’re all encouraged to stay indoors as much as possible. This, of course, doesn’t mean LoveYourself’s commitment to provide private and confidential HIV testing services have to be affected. LoveYourself Community Centers continue to operate amidst the community quarantine restrictions and challenges of the pandemic. But adapting to the situation means providing more innovative options to our clients. One of which is SelfCare . Officially launching this October is SelfCare, the first ever unassisted self-testing service in the country. Initially opened in a limited capacity back in April 2020, SelfCare now caters to clients who would like to know their HIV status quickly, safely, and securely in the comfort of their home. Mainly aimed at addressing client’s concerns about privacy, convenience, and availability, the timing of SelfCare couldn’t be any more perfect particularly at a time when pandemic restrictions are in place. Gett...

  By LoveYourself Communications Online comedy star, mental health advocate, and LoveYourself volunteer Macoy Dubs is set to host Tuloy PH: A Community in Symphony, an online concert on October 25, 2020 5pm at the Flourish Circle Facebook page . This event is the culmination of the collaborative campaign among MentalHealthPH , LoveYourself, Flourish Circle, and MindGames by Claudia in celebration of Mental Health Awareness Month in the Philippines. Hindi nakasalalay sa iisang sektor lamang ang pangangalaga ng mental health. Lahat tayo ay may pwedeng gawin at dapat gawin (One sector is not solely responsible for taking care of our mental health. We all can and should do something. shared Roy Dahildahil, Co-Founder of MentalHealthPH. Throughout the month of October, the campaign aims to build awareness and engagement around managing one’s mental wellness as well as highlight different community based mental health initiatives in the Philippines. The campaign’s digital art contest ...

Did you know that you can get tons of benefits for using sex toys ? It’s not only good for your mental health. It can also boost your intimacy and can put the SATISFYING in safe and satisfying sex. You can use them for solo plays or if you wanna spice up your bedroom romance with your partner. What more can you ask for? But if you’re still unconvinced, here are some of the benefits of sex toys and why you must start using them now: They Help You Get Sexually Satisfied Sex toys are scientifically-designed to aid in your sexual pleasures. It is not an easy task to stimulate our minds and bodies at the same time. This is where love toys come handy. All adult toys are designed to hit the right pleasure spots in our body to reduce our ‘workload’. They Help Men Last Longer In Bed  For our men readers, keep in mind that sex toys are not just for women. You’re not “weak” or “less of a man” for using sexual devices for pleasure.  There are tons of benefits of sex toys for you too, such...

By LoveYourself Communications MentalHealthPH, LoveYourself, Flourish Circle, and MindGames launch a campaign for mental health awareness month entitled; Tuloy PH: A Community in Symphony. Throughout the month of October, the campaign aims to build awareness and engagement around managing one’s mental wellness as well as highlight different community based mental health initiatives in the Philippines. Tuloy PH was inspired by the different ways we use the Filipino word tuloy. In difficult times, we say tuloy to encourage ourselves and others to continue living or pursuing their endeavors. We also use the word tuloy to convey a sense of welcoming hospitality wherein people feel like they belong. In the same vein, the campaign empowers the community to apply these concepts to the different aspects affecting one’s mental health - Self (Ituloy ang Buhay), Society (Tumuloy Ka: Nandito Kami), and Systems (Ipagpatuloy ang Nasimulan). The campaign culminates in an online concert on October 25,...

 By Tino Largado “How do you take pieces of condoms and use it to convey powerful and compelling messages through photographs?” Artists, photographers, hobbyists, and enthusiasts took on this challenge when they joined the Shoot the Rubber Photography Contest held from July 27th to August 5th, 2020, as a highlight of the first ever National HIV Prevention Month (NHPM). Over 50 entries were sent, all creatively using condoms and lubes in a way that invokes a strong message on why they are key HIV prevention tools and how they help promote a #SaferNow lifestyle. Of these, 37 made the final cut and meticulously judged by an esteemed panel of jurors: Culture and Arts Managers of the Philippines (CAMP), Inc founder and HIV advocate Ian Alquiros, freelance photographer and artist Kraus Estanislao, photographer, LGBT rights advocate and HIV awareness ambassador Niccolo Cosme, and celebrity photographer BJ Pascual. Ian, Kraus, and Niccolo joined in on the Condoms and Lubes Day virtual even...

By Tino Largado Condoms and lubes in different packs and tubes took virtual centerstage on two different virtual events celebrating Condom and Lube Day on August 8th, 2020, as part of the National HIV Prevention Month. Hosts Robin Avorque and DeeDee Villegas straight up served a condom and lubes “infomercial” in a #SaferNow virtual talk episode. They were joined by trans advocate KC and her partner Patrick as they unboxed ribbed and dotted condoms and Fire and Ice Bliss® variants and differentiated each product, reminding viewers that the condoms we have come to know have already gotten creative in texture and size, while lubes have also been available in different types, both as a way to encourage consistent use, not only for a more satisfying pleasurable sex, but as a way to keep both sexual parties safe. Robin readily demonstrated the correct way of using a condom, from the way each condom pack is opened to how it should be disposed, all while debunking misconceptions and incorrect ...

  By Carlos Diego A. Rozul Safe Spaces PH launches a new way to access peer-led sexual health information. Meet Enzo, your friendly sexual health chatbot. Prepared with quips, gifs, and tips, Enzo has got you covered in preventing HIV transmission from testing to treatment! Try him out on Facebook Messenger at m.me/safespacesph .  We wanted to make Safe Spaces PH a gateway for sexual health information, and since we are often on our social media, we went for a chatbot for people to easier navigate and access the information that they need, instead of searching for specific posts said Paul Junio, Safe Spaces PH Chatbot Developer. Peer-level information sharing is still an integral part of how people access information. We sometimes find ourselves looking towards them in verifying what we’ve learned from our internet search. This may be through our friends, community leaders, or even your trusted community based organizations. While the current pandemic protocols limit the rea...

By iCOMM MANILA, PHILIPPINES, August 13, 2020 – In celebration of the community-led 2020 Philippine National HIV Prevention Month (NHPM), the #SaferNowPH campaign will hold a webinar on biomedical prevention methods on August 15, 2020, at 5:00 PM. Utilizing the Philippine NHPM social media pages @HIVPrevMonthPH, the webinar will tackle the prophylactic medicines for HIV, including Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). PrEP is a daily medicine that prevents people, especially those at risk, from acquiring HIV. If taken correctly and consistently, PrEP can provide up to 99% protection. PEP, on the other hand, is an emergency medicine taken immediately within 72 hours after a possible HIV exposure and continued for 28 days to reduce the risk of HIV infection by over 80%. Learn more about these innovative HIV prevention methods with guest HIV physicians: Dr. Patrick Eustaquio of LoveYourself, Inc. and Dr. Kate Leyritana of Sustained Health Initiatives of...

By Tino Largado LoveYourself’s unwavering advocacy on HIV prevention forges ahead, in support of National HIV Prevention Month (NHPM) this August 2020. With the support of the Australian Federation of AIDS Organizations (AFAO) through its Sustainability of HIV Services for Key Populations in Asia Program (SKPA Program), and together with Pilipinas Shell Foundation , Champion Community Centers , and key stakeholders, we’re expanding our reach to key communities in engaging and educating about HIV combination prevention.  Carrying the theme #SaferNowPH in its inaugural year, the activities and events all throughout the NHPM aim at reinforcing the Combination Prevention (CombiPrev) strategy in fighting HIV. During The Big Opening virtual launch event streamed via Facebook Live on August 2, 2020, Danvic Rosadiño explained that CombiPrev is a “multitude of options to clients so they have a way to prevent HIV.” As clients vary in lifestyle and needs, this approach allows them to pick ...

By LoveYourself Communications MANDALUYONG CITY - LoveYourself Anglo was certified as a Rapid HIV Diagnostic Algorithm (rHIVda) Confirmatory Laboratory on June 30, 2020. Certified by the Department of Health (DOH), the community center’s diagnostic laboratory is equipped to conduct confirmatory testing without the need to send samples to the National Reference Laboratory-San Lazaro Hospital-STD/AIDS Cooperative Central Laboratory (NRL-SLH/SACCL) for reactive cases. “I would like to express my gratitude to our hardworking laboratory and community well-being team for making this happen. Hopefully more Filipinos are able to access their treatment more efficiently with this system shift.” said Ronivin Pagtakhan, LoveYourself Executive Director. The Health Technology Assessment Study Group of the Health Policy Development and Planning Bureau of the DOH changed the diagnostic algorithm of HIV in the country. This was mainly due to the need to respond to the exponential increase in HIV infec...

by Asha Sometime before I wake up I dream Of listening and talking to someone who cares Wishing for a home of understanding Amidst the hustling of my timely world Finding a hand to hold on Luck seems to listen to the song As it led me to this path of people With the same vision of giving back  and upholding others,  While Loving yourself, the truest melod By Raybert One day, I’m lost in the wilderness of the unforgiving world. Wandering on this jungle, I found myself running towards the forest of compassion. On its dense woodland, I found myself dipping in a lake with passionate people. And on that same night, I got a pack who taught me to live my life by rippling love. By Diego Interconnected Uknowlingly I entered Almost four years ago A place where I learned How to let myself go Let myself be me Without needing to be the best Ultimately, it let me see That in service I find rest My time is well spent With varied people And if there's time I could have lent I'm glad it's h...