LoveYourself opens three more HIV testing centers

Members of LoveYourself attended the launching of Hacking HIV 2.0 on Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018.

LoveYourself Inc., a group promoting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) awareness, expanded its service through three new community centers.

The organization said it would offer HIV counseling and treatment in three centers such as “LoveYourself Welcome” in Manila near Welcome Rotonda, Lily by LoveYourself x DIOSSA in Parañaque City and LoveYourself Whitehouse in Cebu City.

According to Chris Lagman, senior director of LoveYourself, the testing centers are open to all – not just residents of the cities where they happen to be located.

“Anyone can come to any center. The idea of Love Yourself is to provide options to everyone. Some people who live in Mandaluyong may not come to centers in Mandaluyong. Maybe it is too close to home. Baka nahihiya. Baka makita ng kapitbahay,” Lagman said on Saturday at the launching of Hacking HIV 2.0 at the PETA Theater in  Quezon City.

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Aside from the testing centers, LoveYourself, in collaboration with Hot Doctors of Pinas, also introduced the 2nd National HIV Testing Day which would put up community-based HIV testing centers nationwide.

Ronivin Pagtakhan, LoveYourself executive director, said the activity would be “a little bit funny, it is a little bit sexy, it mixes a lot of things.”

When asked if the HIV awareness campaign would draw flak on religious people, Pagtakhan said: “All our intents are positive. If they are coming from that we have a different point of view. We are not here to be malicious or spread bad things. We are here to help people and get educated.”

The program, set on Nov. 24, will be available in Metro Manila, Mabalacat in Pampanga, Imus and Bacoor in Cavite, Puerto Princesa, Iloilo City, Cebu City, Cagayan De Oro, Davao City and Zamboanga City.

According to the Department of Health records, a total of 2,234 Filipinos between the age of 15 and 24 were diagnosed with HIV from January to August this year. /atm

READ: DID YOU KNOW: 2,234 youths diagnosed with HIV January to August 2018