Old LY Site

By Mark Angelo de Castro The basics of HIV Transmission ( ESSE ) states that if one of the four conditions (exit, survive, sufficiency, entry) is not satisfied, no transmission will occur. Insofar as going against these conditions is concerned, the use of condoms provides us with a very reliable line of protection to prevent HIV transmission by blocking the entry of the virus. But do condoms really work? There are inconsistencies in reports about the effectiveness of using condoms to prevent HIV transmission. Some studies say that if condoms are used correctly and consistently, they could provide up to 98% protection [1] , while others put its effectiveness at a lower 70% [2] . The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, without mentioning any quantitative data, states that “C onsistent and correct use of latex condoms is highly effective in preventing sexual transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.” [3] It is important to note that the use of condoms does not provide an a...

By Carlos Diego A. Rozul There are some things from our childhood that we leave behind. We throw away our old clothes, our old school books, and even our old security blanket. Not all things from our past are thrown away, however. There are a lot that we carry into adulthood such as the lessons we’ve learned, the memories we’ve formed with old friends, and for some of us, even our old toy collection! As we grow older, the games we play tend to get more and more complicated. From the simple rules of Snakes and Ladders to the complex dynamics of a strategic board game, we play to obtain the same objective - to win. When we realize our nature as sexual beings, we begin to play with trust, pleasure, and health. In the game of safe and satisfying sex, the choice is ours to pick what card to draw. Mutual Masturbation and Dry Humping The first card we may have drawn when first engaging in sex is manual sex and frottage. In more accessible terms, mutual masturbation (jack off or fingering) an...

By Kris Tangco The HIV crisis has gone on for four decades, and for four decades the world has struggled against it. Doctors, scientists, educators, policy makers, writers, artists – people of all walks and all colors have, in their own ways, sought to make sense of this crisis and its relationship with society. From citizens to states, from medicine to prayer, from cures to cries for reform, people’s visions of how to respond to the crisis are as diverse as the people who bear its scars. The goal of this series is to give you a glimpse of these visions: the roles people of different passions and disciplines have played in this crisis that, as of January 2017 as recorded by the Department of Health’s Epidemiology Bureau, is infecting 28 Filipinos daily. The HIV crisis in the Philippines requires urgent attention due to increasing rates of HIV infection, in contrast to a worldwide trend of plateauing or decreasing rates. Moreover, of the 26 Filipinos daily who contract HIV, 8 of them a...

The volunteer duo believes the fear of HIV testing is best banished with an uplifting counseling experience, so they set out to create a better process for LoveYourself’s flagship testing event. By Michael Jamias Two years ago, when Dalton Claudio found out the guy he was dating was cheating on him, he did not seek revenge. Instead, he sought out the nearest HIV testing center he could trust in Manila. “I found out about LoveYourself Platinum . That time, I was so scared of the result,” the 26-year-old IT consultant confesses, referring to the by-appointment and confidential HIV testing service provided by the non-profit organization LoveYourself. Afraid that he had been infected with HIV and hurt by his partner’s betrayal, Dalton hesitantly stepped into a room where volunteer LoveYourself counselor Manuel greeted him with a smile. Dalton remembers the counseling conversation fondly. Manuel not only dispelled Dalton’s misconceptions surrounding HIV (no, it cannot be transmitted mer...

LoveYourself counselor and single dad Monching has had his fair share of ups and downs, but his unwavering spirit and constant inspirations in life have gotten him through hell and high water time and time again. By Jean Natividad We were already at the final stretch of our hour-long interview, but Monching couldn't help but shed tears. It was a rainy evening in June, and we were seated outside the bustling Pineapple Lab in Makati City, guests taking long drags from their cigarettes nearby. The mood inside was celebratory. It was LoveYourself's Pride Night 2016 event, and hundreds of LGBT members and allies gathered to celebrate love, acceptance, and freedom. Outside, it was rather sentimental as Monching revealed his touching narrative. It was an emotional hour that didn't seem enough to hear about the story of Monching, a young professional, a LoveYourself volunteer, a gay single father, and a relentless fighter. It was during this hour that he took this writer for a roll...