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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 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 Jason Celeste The implementation of community quarantine all throughout Luzon and some other provinces in the country in March, not only limited our personal movement. It has also affected our access to basic health care services. But there’s no need to worry about your sexual health because LoveYourself is committed to ensuring continuity in your safer and satisfying sexual lifestyle. PrEP Pilipinas , provides access to PreExposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) which was officially launched in 2019 at various community centers and clinics. With LoveYourself’s brand of service and patient care, you can set an appointment in available LoveYourself’s community centers. If you reside in Metro Manila you can opt to enroll in LoveYourself Anglo in Mandaluyong, LoveYourself Welcome in Manila, Victoria by LoveYourself in Pasay City. You can also book an appointment in LoveYourself White House in Cebu City. For Cainta Rizal and nearby residents, we have partnered with MediPrime and if any of t...

By Edgar Bagasol Jr. and John Oliver Corciega To support iCON and SelfCare, LoveYourself also introduced the acXess program to ensure the continuum of care, especially among clients who obtain reactive HIVST results. Services covered include confirmatory HIV testing, viral load, and CD4 testing, and Hepatitis B, syphilis, and CBC diagnostic services. Designed to address mobility issues amid quarantine measures, acXess works in two ways: first, as a mobile laboratory where a medical technologist comes to provide testing and diagnostic services at the client’s own home; or second, as a client transport provider to pick up and drop off clients from their residence and take them to a LoveYourself facility for onsite testing and ARV initiation. To date, 22 reactive SelfCare clients have been scheduled for acXess services. LoveYourself staff ensuring proper management of data for pioneer programs Photo by Edgar Bagasol Jr. Taking advantage of the public’s increased online presence and activi...

By Edgar Bagasol Jr. and John Oliver Corciega Access to a healthcare professional is another need expressed by LoveYourself’s PLHIV clients. This has become challenging with COVID, primarily because they are concerned about their susceptibility to COVID-19 if they go out, due to their immunocompromised status. While there is still no evidence to prove that they have an indeed greater risk of acquiring COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) still advises PLHIVs, especially “those with advanced diseases, those with low CD4 and high viral load, and those who are not taking ARV” to take extra precaution. LoveYourself staff coordinating schedules for iCON Photo by Edgar Bagasol Jr. To respond to this expressed gap, LoveYourself launched its telehealth program called iCON, short for “interactive consultation” ( go.loveyourself.ph/iCON ), where PLHIV clients on treatment can consult with a healthcare professional via social media or other digital platforms. Besides giving clients the o...

By Edgar Bagasol Jr. and John Oliver Corciega Reduced mobility and stringent community quarantine measures in the face of COVID-19 pose a major challenge for HIV health service providers and facilities, including LoveYourself. Roughly 6,000 PLHIV clients rely on the organization for uninterrupted access to life-saving medication and other HIV services.  Delivery rider for pioneer programs Xpress, iCON, and SelfCare Photo by Edgar Bagasol Jr. LoveYourself, a community of HIV advocates in the Philippines, continues community center operations and pioneers programs such as Xpress, iCON, and SelfCare, despite challenges brought about by the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic. “The pandemic affected our mobility. Everything was unprecedented,” says Danvic Rosadiño, LoveYourself’s Senior Operations Manager, with regard to the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) that the Philippine government imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19. For people living with HIV (PLHIV), the continuous su...

By Carlos Diego A. Rozul LoveYourself relaunches its YouTube channel with new exciting shows! Don't miss out on what we have in store for you moving forward to our new normal. Hosted and produced by our various volunteers and ambassadors, it has been one of LoveYourself's Integrated Communications Team (iCOMM) collaborative project yet. Previously, the YouTube channel was used as a video repository for LoveYourself's different campaigns and events. However, iCOMM Creatives lead Ria Brines saw the importance of maximizing available social media platforms of the organization. LoveYourself TV envisions itself as an avenue for audiences and supporters of the organization to contribute to the HIV advocacy by simply watching, commenting, liking, and subscribing to the YouTube channel. Through a strategic content plan featuring the different intersections of advocacies LoveYourself has engaged in. Pa'ano  is a sexual health series featuring LoveYourself volunteer, Peachy Robe...

By: Ryan Taborada Restricted mobility in Cebu City due to imposed lockdowns has posed a real challenge for its residents who continually need to avail of HIV-related services by LoveYourself White House. Knowing that testing and access to medication is critical to combat the spread of HIV, LoveYourself continues to open its door to anyone who needs its services. Except on holidays, LoveYourself White House remains open from Wednesdays through Sundays, with temporarily reduced service hours of 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., cut-off time at 4 p.m. Starting on May 20, 2020, the center will operate from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., 6 p.m. cut-off time. Its return to its regular hours of 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. will be announced once this becomes viable.  To keep the in-person antiretroviral (ARV) refill uninterrupted for those undergoing treatment, LoveYourself has recently activated the Xpress Refill program. They may now receive ARV refill via delivery by registering here: go.loveyourself.ph/xpressrefill . “...

By LoveYourself Communications In response to the impending community quarantine in Metro Manila on March 15, 2020, LoveYourself has innovated its antiretroviral therapy (ART) refill delivery system. Through the XPress by LoveYourself, clients enrolled in its treatment services can have their ART refills delivered to their doorstep. This ensures reduced risk for LoveYourself clients living with HIV to be exposed to COVD-19 by reducing the number of clients visiting LoveYourself Centers and eliminating the need to travel. Sign up for the service at go.loveyourself.ph/xpressrefill . Please be mindful of the following eligibility requirements: 6 months experience of ART (no dropping out of care in between). Must have a recent viral load monitoring result within 1 year of less than 1000 copies/mL (Undetectable Viral Load ) Good eligibility status in PhilHealth due to updated contributions. Experience no severe adverse effects of ART Have at least 12 days worth of remaining ART pills. NOTIC...

By Ryan Taborada Twenty-one new volunteers from Batch Espada were welcomed to the LoveYourself family on February 16, 2020, at LoveYourself White House , in Cebu City. This fourth batch of volunteers in Cebu was already involved in the HIV advocacy completing 50 hours of volunteer work prior to the orientation. This gave every volunteer to get to know each other and develop the dedication of working in the advocacy.  “The orientation was a way to formally welcome Batch Espada volunteers who have already shown their commitment by rendering community hours before they were allowed to join the official orientation,” said Dennis Tagamolila, head of Cebu’s LoveU - the committee spearheading the event. The day’s agenda included an HIV Situationer from Atty. Orville Dela Cerna, which presented data on the state of HIV transmissions both globally and locally. Tagamolila then continued with a discussion on volunteerism, invigorating the passion they have for the advocacy. Soon after LoveU m...