We must be afraid because we are not afraid enough of the HIV virus and AIDS. And because we are not afraid enough, we are not careful, often thinking that we’re invincible. “Kung mamamatay ako, mamamatay ako.” “I’m not going to get AIDS because I’m not gay.” “Hassle to use protection in the middle of sex.” These are cursory comments of people when confronted with the HIV and AIDS issue. And the stigma attached to the disease is even deadlier than the virus itself. “Almost nobody goes for AIDS testing because what’s the point in knowing,” a young person I interviewed quipped. “And besides, is it going to cure me in case I am diagnosed positive?” No, but knowing is half the battle. Medical aids including counseling are available with the Department of Health (DOH) and in DOH-accredited hospitals. There are also various Non Government Organizations (NGOs) dedicated to helping People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Listing of these organizations is available at United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Very few are aware that the 1998 AIDS Law protects people even during the testing stage. If one wants to be anonymous, not even the testing doctor has the right to open the result of one’s test. Read the rest of this entry »

Two weeks ago, I wrote about how great the Filipino people were, and how this is what we should sell to the world.

Today, I’d like to raise a few points that, if addressed, can ensure that advantage can be turned into wealth gain for everyone. Read the rest of this entry »

The wildcat strike staged by the PAL Employees Association which stranded some 14,000 passengers and caused millions of damage to the riding public, Philippine Airlines and the national economy is a clear case of the tyranny of a minority group. Read the rest of this entry »

More lawmakers want to grant incentives to car makers who build or import cars that are powered by electric or hybrid engines or those that run on alternative fuel in a move to reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuel. Read the rest of this entry »

THE Palace is considering spending P1 billion to train students and faculty in state universities and colleges to work in call centers and other outsourced services, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said Thursday. Read the rest of this entry »

THE combined net earnings of the listed firms declined by 7 percent to P219.66 billion in the year through June from P236.23 billion the year before as a result of costlier inputs, the Philippine Stock Exchange reported Thursday. Read the rest of this entry »

THE construction of single detached residences will be banned in Metro Manila to optimize land use, Vice President Jejomar Binay told the Senate on Thursday. Read the rest of this entry »

PHILIPPINE Airlines said it was operating on a reduced schedule Thursday with 71 flights canceled, 28 of them to international destinations, as it entered the third day of a protest by its ground workers. Read the rest of this entry »

SOME 40 years ago, Sonny Coloma was a campus firebrand. He was elected to the University of the Philippines Student Council as one of the candidates of a leftwing alliance, which included the KM, SDK and similar radical youth groups that supported the “national democratic” program of the Communist Party. Read the rest of this entry »

The Transport Department said Thursday it will build all its infrastructure projects and will not entertain proposals from the private sector to reduce cost. Read the rest of this entry »