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By Diego Rozul and Jean Natividad In case you missed it, #LoveSquad , LoveYourself’s fast, easy, and totally anonymous HIV screening day event is happening on November 26, Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Victoria Court Malate . Don’t forget to register here: go.loveyourself.ph/lovesquad . And just in case you need a tad more convincing to show up, we’ve asked our dear squads why making HIV testing your #SquadGoals and a regular part of your self-care routine is important. #ChillSquad L to R: Rv Torres, Fifth Pagotan, Kenn Richmond, Apolo Cuenco, Ernest Gatpandan III Have you been putting off that HIV test even if it’s been months since the three-month rule ? Well it’s about time to get rid of those anxieties and finally relax in knowing your status . You’ll certainly find security and assurance with our lovely volunteers assisting you in every step of the way. Getting tested for HIV shouldn’t be such a daunting task, just ask our #ChillSquad! “Guys, let’s make HIV testing FUN! Me an...

By Diego Rozul Let's TESTMNL ! , LoveYourself and  TestMNL 's  fast, easy, and anonymous HIV testing event is happening on  May 28, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m . at  Victoria Court Malate .  To register, log on to  go.loveyourself.ph/testmnl .  Want to know how the test will be conducted then? Read on to find out.  LoveYourself has embarked on a great change, adapting a quicker and more efficient way of testing for HIV in its HIV testing day events - Community Based Screening (CBS). It was first used in the May 2016 Incognito testing which served 300 clients, so far the most successful turnout for any LoveYourself HIV testing day event. The advances in the time required to obtain results with high levels of accuracy have allowed LoveYourself to offer its past Incognito events and the upcoming Let's TESTMNL! as quick and efficient, promising results in 15 minutes from the time of the collection of blood sample. The decision to shift from Standard Testin...

By: Carlos Diego A. Rozul Everyone has talked about a particular status in his or her life, be it their relationship status, their financial status, and heck people talk about their problems on their Facebook status all the time! But one thing that’s rarely talked about is one’s HIV status. Despite its relevance today it is still greatly stigmatized and has been thought of as taboo by many. This monthly column aims to help facilitate discussion on issues surrounding HIV testing and living with HIV. LoveYourself has started to embark on a great change, adapting a quicker and more efficient way of testing for HIV in its mass testing events - Community Based Screening (CBS).   It was first used in the May 2016 Incognito testing which tested 300 clients, so far the most successful turnout for any LoveYourself mass testing event. The advances in the time required to obtain results with high levels of accuracy have allowed LoveYourself to offer its Incognito event last May 2016 and the u...

By Raybert Domingo Cognizant of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, LoveYourself, Inc. strengthens the promotion of its HIV awareness campaign with its newest ambassador, Mister Gay World Philippines 2016 1st runner-up John Bench T. Ortiz. As a fitness coach, Ortiz advised that “Health is wealth. Relatively speaking, sexual health is very important and we, the LGBT community and the larger society, need to be more knowledgeable on this aspect.” Ortiz serves as one of the faces of the LoveYourself Incognito 2.0 , which is the country’s largest community-based HIV screening that is free, anonymous and fast. Through the Mister Gay World Philippines Organization (MGWPO), Ortiz supported LoveYourself and its partners, the Department of Health-Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc., in encouraging individuals to undergo HIV testing on 27 November at Victoria Court Malate in Manila by signing up at go.loveyourself.ph/incognito . LoveYourself Executive D...

LoveYourself introduces an innovation with its new service called Couple’s HIV Counseling and Testing (CHCT), otherwise lightheartedly coined as LoveYourself Purple, designed for couples who wish to undergo HIV counseling and testing together. This service aims to provide intervention for couples so that they may plan for their future and discuss a realistic risk reduction plan that they can implement together. An important note to be mindful of with LoveYourself’s CHCT program is the nuance of the word “couple” which implies that at least two individuals who wish to avail the program are in a pre-sexual or sexual relationship. The Learning and Development arm of LoveYourself, Love University, together with one of its founding members, Chris Lagman, coordinated the training program for LoveYourself volunteers who will be counselors for this service. This service was developed with the backdrop of rising incidence of HIV infections among males who have sex with males (MSM), many of thes...

By Hershey Homol The first time for anything can be downright daunting—be it your maiden trip driving a car, your initial instance asking someone out beyond a coffee date, or even your sexual debut having a casual or romantic encounter. Understandably, your first HIV test may scare the living daylights out of you. Maybe it’s the thought of blood extraction, or the possibilities on the result of the HIV test that leave your palms sweaty. Here are a few reminders to help you prepare and build your confidence before your first HIV test. Photo by Manny Marcelo for The Philippine Star First HIV test reminders 1. No fasting required. “Unlike other medical examinations, HIV testing does not require any form of fasting,” says Rye Gaba del Carmen, LoveYourself Head of Operations. Go ahead and indulge on your favorite snack or drink before going to your scheduled test. 2. Have an open mind. “An open mind is all a client needs to have for this test,” says del Carmen. Let go of your fears, and if...

Free HIV testing is offered at the Love Yourself Hub (a.k.a. RITM Satellite Clinic). Interested in getting tested? Come! We have friendly and well-trained HIV counselors who are committed to help you conveniently go through the entire testing process. Test results are released within the same day. What preparations are needed before the testing? Just bring yourself to the clinic for testing. Blood extraction will be performed, but unlike the usual blood tests, fasting is not required. How long does it take to get the results? Once the blood sample has been extracted from you, it will take 2-3 hours before you can get your results. The counselor will call your attention once the results are available, and then the post-test counseling shall take place. What are the symptoms of HIV infection? HIV infection can be asymptomatic. This means that you may feel perfectly healthy even if you have already been infected. The only way to know with absolute assurance that you have contracted the v...