MANILA, Philippines – Artist JC Santos is the new ambassador of HIV/AIDS in a campaign that was recently launched by non-profits The Red Whistle and Save the Children.
In a video posted by Save the Children, Santos encouraged the youth to know their HIV status by getting tested.
"I want to reach out to the people of my generation to know your status, get tested, and stay healthy," he said.
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The Philippines has one of the fastest growing HIV epidemic in the world. According to the World Health Organization, around 25 people get HIV in the Philippines everyday. If the epidemic is not curbed, the number of people living with HIV (PLHIVs) may reach 133,000 by 2022, the Department of Health said.
"The median age of new cases is 28 years old, and more than 80% of people living with HIV/AIDS in the Philippines are under 35," Niccolo Cosme, co-founder of The Red Whistle, said.
He added: "Men who have sex with men (MSM) comprise 80% of new infections since 2010 and new HIV cases among MSM and transgender women increased by more than 10 times in the past five years."
The campaign aims to prevent HIV transmissions by providing communities with better access to treatment care, testing, information, counselling and support.
"The first important step is to get tested and know the result, without shame and stigma," Save the Children said.
The Red Whistle is a collaborative platform for artists/individuals/groups to come together using social and digital media to show their support against HIV and AIDS.
Among those who showed support for the campaign were actress Cherrie Gil, advocate Wanggo Gallaga, and musician Jay Contreras. – Rappler.com