Old LY Site

By: Joel Donato Ching Jacob Amy asked why I felt that I wanted to meet with her. I answered, “I wanted to meet with you because I do not want to meet with you.” I didn’t know it then, but I have social anxiety. I am not sure how it feels for other people I can only relay how it feels for me. It does feel like I was going crazy because I get upset over conflicting fears. I get overwhelmed with fears of missing out but I am also afraid of people. I dislike interacting with people. Some of my friends find it hard to get on board with the idea; maybe I did too at the start. I can be loud. I can be fun. I am the guy you can expect to call for the waiter at the restaurant or to ask for the manager if we had complaints in a venue. I love dancing in the clubs. I am not the least bit shy, so social anxiety seemed like the least of my problems. Illustration by Isaac Brines But I was also very flaky. I would agree to go to events and I would be ready but I would cancel at the last minute. The ide...

By Dan Guevara I arrived at LoveYourself Anglo 30 minutes before the call time. I made sure to come early so I could review the flow of my first session today. I noticed that the function room was colder than the usual, maybe because I was feeling jittery, excited and anxious. I patiently waited for three people who I will be meeting for the first time. Questions raced in my head. What would they look like? What are their issues? How could I probably help them? Finally they arrived in trickles. The first one who arrived looked at me and asked “Hindi pa ba tayo mag-uumpisa?” His commanding voice was firm. I just smiled and responded calmly, “Yes, we are about to start.” That day marked the beginning of our 12-session journey in the Flourish Circle. The Flourish Circle , is a community-based initiative designed for people who are experiencing mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. The program aims to offer an avenue where individuals could feel safe as they go through t...

By Carlos Diego A. Rozul LoveYourself in 2019 has been ever present on almost all media platforms, name it - social media, radio, television, out-of-home and even podcasts. The dedication of the volunteers to spread awareness on our shared causes is truly remarkable. When it comes to the HIV advocacy, it takes creativity and ingenuity to break away from the social stigma surrounding sex and its related topics. Let’s take a look back at how volunteers and staff have spread LoveYourself’s message of nurturing one's self-worth. The Online Space LoveYourself’s main channel of communication is the Internet. With Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, the social media team of the communications committee are always on it to promote services and events, engage audiences, and answer queries. Former communications head Paul Junio has been crucial in implementing the organization's online strategies. Starting the year off with the Humans of LoveYourself series, Paul was able to show quick sn...

By Carlos Diego A. Rozul On LoveYourself’s eighth year of service, the year 2019 has been one of its most eventful years thus far. Not only has its pool of volunteers been growing, but the organization has been expanding its reach and improving its services. Keeping with this growing opportunities, volunteers were enriched with special trainings addressing critical organizational affairs. New programs and projects were also launched as a result of the hard work and dedication of its volunteers and staff. With everything that has happened, let us remember 2019 as the year it was. Programs and Projects LoveYourself, as a loving community of HIV awareness advocates, is most known for its free HIV testing and treatment services. As of December 2019, LoveYourself across its community centers, Platinum Testing Service , and offsite events has done 38,549 tests, enabling clients to take charge of the sexual health with timely HIV testing , and treatment if they turned out reactive to the test...

By LoveYourself Communications LoveYourself Senior Director Chris Lagman introducing Flourish Circle LoveYourself, Inc., the leading HIV advocacy group in the country, launches three innovative and timely programs on a new HIV prevention method, transgender health, and mental wellness initiatives. The advocacy group unveiled these services to further care for oneself during Spectrum: The LoveYourself Perspective event on September 11, 2019 at My Cinema in Greenbelt 3, Makati City. LoveYourself takes bold step to provide Pre-ExposureProphylaxis (PrEP) , a daily pill that helps your body prevent HIV infection by more than 90%. PrEP complements the use of condoms and lubricants to boost one's protection against HIV. LoveYourself Head of PrEP and Research Danvic Rosadi ñ o introducing  PrEPPY The implementation of PrEP Pilipinas (PrEPPY) enables Filipinos to access this prevention method around the country through its community centers and Hi-Precision Diagnostics centers. For more i...

By Carlos Diego A. Rozul The Global Burden of Disease study in 2015 reported an equivalent of 6.3 million cases of Filipinos diagnosed with a depressive and anxiety disorder. For years, the Philippines has advocated to integrate mental health in its healthcare policies. With the enactment of RA 11036 also known as the Philippine Mental Health Law in 2018, Filipinos now have the basic right to psychological wellness. LoveYourself joins the movement towards responding to the mental health needs of Filipinos with Flourish Circle . "There is a palpable call for help and we will respond, and respond with the very best that we have - our passionate volunteers, lessons learned from past programs, and expert partners." explained Chris Lagman, LoveYourself Senior Director. Flourish Circle Peer Support Specialists and Proponents Photo by Dan Guevara Flourish Circle is an initiative started by a community of peers that aim to provide a safe and affirming space where people can feel li...