WORLD AIDS DAY:
An HIV-positive Filipino lights candles around an AIDS symbol as he participates in an event in observance of World AIDS Day in Quezon City the other night. Health experts say HIV/AIDS cases are going down worldwide except in a few countries including the Philippines, where the infection is spreading among the youth.
The government must exert more effort in educating the people against engaging in casual sex instead of giving out condoms in schools, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said yesterday.
Fr. Jerome Secillano, CBCP Public Affairs Committee executive secretary, said distributing condoms will only condone sexual activity among students.
“But even granting the students will, in fact, not engage in sex, for what purpose will the condom serve now?” he asked.
Secillano said the Philippines must find solutions to the rising number of HIV cases, which could be done through proper education.
“Yes, we need to address the rising number of HIV cases in the country, but the government should invest more in educating people about the perils of ‘sporadic sexual activity’ than procuring and distributing condoms,” he said.
The Department of Health was expected to distribute the condoms in schools, Fr. Conegundo Garganta, CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Youth executive secretary, said.