A 24-YEAR-OLD man who just graduated from a six-month vocational course is the latest to contract the dreaded human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Cebu.
Jun (not his real name), who was set to work abroad, had approached Dr. Rene Joseff Bullecer, head of AIDS Free Philippines, to undergo an HIV test. He tested positive last Nov. 23 and is now undergoing a series of counseling.
Bullecer said Jun had confessed to him that he had had multiple sexual partners, both male and female. After testing positive for HIV, Jun will no longer be able to work abroad.
The latest HIV case in Cebu has worried Bullecer. He said the age of people contracting HIV is becoming younger and blamed this on declining moral values of young adults.
Out of the 41 cases recorded by AIDS Free Philippines, more than 70 are in their early 20s. The youngest is an 18-year-old male.
Bullecer said that most of the cases involved men engaging in sex with other men.
AIDS Free Philippines holds seminars about HIV for youths but remains adamant that condom use is not the solution to stopping the spread of the dreaded virus, which causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Bullecer said condoms do not offer 100 percent protection from the AIDS virus. He said that abstinence and being faithful remains the most effective solution against HIV.
“Show me any country that allows condoms and if their HIV cases went down,” Bullecer said.
The Cebu City Health Department has recorded 173 HIV cases from January to November 20 this year compared to only 16 HIV cases in the same period last year.
Dr. Ilya Tac-an said her office stopped distributing free syringes to drug users last September as part of their harm-reduction program but still promotes 100 percent condom use.
She said their surveillance has already ended, thus they discontinued the distribution of syringes. .
Free HIV tests are conducted by the City Health Department. There is still no known cure for Aids. –Cebu Daily News
July 2025
Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
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July
3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
5 July – World Youth Skills Day
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day
17 July – World Day for International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
Monthly Observances:
Schools Safety Month
Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
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