Ang dami dami ng ganap ngayon sa world. Everything is so fast-paced nowadays and what’s scary is, sa dinami-dami na ng innovations, gadgets etc na lumalabas, di natin napapansin, lumolobo narin pala yung mga scary diseases na akala natin noon wala lang.
HIV— Human Immunodeficiency Virus. We had this social stigma na once you have this type of disease, eeeew kana. Ikaw na ang reyna ng kalandian at karumihan. Yung tiping kahit yung inupuan mo, di pedeng upuan ng iba kasi baka mahawa sila. Sadly, these are the misconceptions and judgements they receive once they are infected. So instead of coming out, they go into hiding. Kasi, tao nga naman sila, may pride din, at damdamin.
Last June, I was sent to Baguio for a seminar regarding the transmission of HIV. Kung nuon, transmission is more on sexual contact. Ngaun, dahil sa dumadaming cases, meron naring mga mother to child transmissions, meaning, the mother, who is infected with HIV could pass it on to their baby. How sad di ba? So, the Department of Health is making an effort to control this since dumadami na talaga ang cases ng HIV/ AIDS(Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) —> Advanced stage na ng HIV.
Aside from the topic, naexcite ako that I have to go back to Baguio City. I love it there. Basta anything with cool/cold weather, gustong gusto ko. So super excited ako while packing my things, and trying to recall the places we’ve visited there before, nung student pa ako.
After 12 hours, at last, I’ve arrived! Pero lozz lang na inabot ng 12 hours yung trip, super traffic kasi somewhere in the woods. Pagbaba ko ng bus, which is about 5am, I was a bit disappointed kasi I was expecting na manginginig ako sa lamig ng hangin pero fail. Di xa ganun kaginaw like before. So, di ko na masyadong ninamnam, I just took a cab and went straight to the hotel. After I settled, borlog muna.
The room was nice and cozy. Actually, parang same vibe siya with the Monte Carlo Hotel at Santiago.
Bet ko yung room. See the cabinet below the tv? mukha lang siyang storage but actually, ref talaga siya. Kaya pala me nalalaman pa yung room boy na pinapirma na may different drinks chenez2 ganun is andito na pala xa sa loob ng room so incase na juhaw, me available.
Good morning! Foggy and gloomy weather is fine. Wag lang naman sana jumulanis morisette. Hello hilltop!
Session. I remember the days nung dito pako nagstaffing, we would always walk around here.
Buti nalang may terrace yung room, so sightseeing muna ang activities ko with Manny Pacquiao’s Vit water.
Alale mar-rain! Awan tu ambrelak!
Typical self portrait trying to get the background.
More of the city
Sunooooooooooooooooooooooog! Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp! Tumawag kau ng bumbero omg omg omg #charaught!
And here I am wondering, bakit may usok? hahaha.
In the afternoon after the briefing, since independence day naman, naglibot lang muna kami nung roomate ko, si Ate Kath sa SM. It was really nice going around again, kaso, majinit jackson na talaga siya for my taste. And one fail moment is, I left my cam, eh sakto me dance keme keme chu chu that day! Andun pa si Kyle Cayabyab (who I met during Brian Puspos’ workshop last year). Isang malakas na malakas na SIGH! So lesson: Never leave your camera unattended! haha. or at home/hotel lalo na kung sightseeing ang peg!
At 8, nakajuwi narin kami sa hotel. Shower2 and then tv lang. I was bored actually so eto mga ganap.
The food and prices are quite ok for a hotel. Gusto ko sanang i-try yung cakes nila kaso super busog na eh.
Ang laki ng mukha ko pero blag ko to so kung ano mang flaws ko, wala kayong pakialam! hahaha. warfreak?
I just love yellow lights. Gustong gusto ko yung warm feeling/effect na naibibigay nya sa photos.
Their friendly economical way of saying MAGTIPID KA SA KURYENTE. Pero tama nga naman sila. Try kaya nilang i-apply to sa Tugueguegarao, “for instant heat stroke, please close aircon and open sliding window” chos! korny ko no?
So inopen ko nga ang window at itich na na-sight! Usok! Nagtutunu ata ng BBQ si Manang, knina pang umaga to ha! Hindi na to earth friendly ha! Ubos na ozone layer naten!
NY Times Square levels!
I wish I had a wide lens para nacapture ko lahat. Was wanting a longer exposure kaso umuulan and panikera ako baka majulog sa baba yung cam
Should’ve just taken a panoramic shot. Oh well, next time.
Fisheye? Nah. I wish me pumophoto rin skin noh?
So after that, borlog na! Had to be up early for the first session.
After a few hours..
After the mirror portraits, eto na yung totoong ganap!
So, the training was about the prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV. Tinayp ko pa talaga dito kahit alam kong keri nyo namang basahin yung nasa tarp para clear. When I received the memo, mejo ngquestion ako, bakit mother to child, parang anlabo lang for me kasi I wasn’t well informed sa mga ganap na ngaun ng mga cases ng HIV. Un pala… mamaya ko pa oopen up about dun. hehe. wait lng.
I took their picture because, they are very interesting. To me. Why? See the young ladies and the not so young ones? Sad to say, they are all Vda de ti. The two on your left, mejo keri lang ako, kasi mejo tanders narin sila but for the other two, I was really moved. At their young age, byuda na mga lola niyo. Parang, ang sad lang. I just can’t imagine losing a life partner that soon. But, still, survivors mga lola niyo. During out getting to know activities kasi, we were tasked to share what is one value that you value chos! Ulit ulit. What is that value you have as a mother that you would like your children to have. Heller. Anong malay ko jan di ba? Wit pa ako isang mudakchinabelles. Pero ayun ibang value nalang ang shinare ko, pero yung others kasi, most of them said about “mother’s love”. Na they could sacrifice everything for their children, na their children would always be their priority, second lang their husband chuchu chuchu. So when the “crying ladies” introduced themselves and shared their experiences on losing their husbands, nakakaiyak lang. They also emphasized that “a mother’s love cannot be irreplaceable, but also, value your husbands as well, for your children wouldn’t be possible without them; and, while they are still with you, love them, and show them how it feels to be loved. At least, when you lose them, like us, there would be no regrets of the time lost”
So for the whole day of lecture, andami ko lang nalaman. One is, the number of HIV/AIDS here in the country, even in our little town Tuguegarao is growing. And that is the main reason why this training was initiated. From the growing number, of course, there would be a huge possibility that these infected persons, especially women might get pregnant and bear a child and eventually, pass on the disease to their babies.
I’ve also learned that, nowadays, ung “turok”, or injected drugs eh nag bagsak presyo narin pala! Umaabot sila sa 50pesos per turok, tapos parang confession style, yung hindi mo nakikita, aabot mo lang yung bayad saka kamay mo tas tuturukan kana and den viola! High kna, may HIV kapa! Highest din ang incidence ng HIV sa mga M2M, yung singer, kaya pala di na sila kumakanta ngayon kasi sick na sila. Choz! Alam niyo naman na cgro ibig sbhin ng M2M. So yun nga, di naman lingid sa knowing natin na ang mga becky sisterettes natin, bumubooking din. So may mataas na chance na kada humahada sila, humahada din sila ng sakit, kaya dapat tandaan, pag may booking, always use protection..or as they say, the best kind of protection daw is ABSTINENCE. May mnemonics pa nga sila eh. Just remember:
A – Abstinence
B – Be faithful
C – Correct, consistent use of condom
D – Don’t share needles
E – Educate
So pede nako maging lecturer! Chos! Basta, andaming eye opener. We also had this activity called wildfire, and they let you experience the feeling of being an HIV positive at teh! DINAMDAM KO! Feel na feel ko lang at mangiyak ngiyak pako when they were talking to me, about how I feel knowing na in a few years or so, machu-tsugi nako. Sad. Ang ininternalize ko kasi, sex worker ako, so feeling ko ang dumi2 ko, yung pag naliligo ako sa shower nagiislide ako sa wall, umiiyak sabay sabing ang dumi dumi ko. Pilit lilidlidin ang katawan. Mag gnung factor! And kahit thru internalization lang, I really felt how heavy it is to carry such a disease. And how much support and understanding is needed. So guys, I hope, pag may patient or kakilala tayong HIV/AIDS positive, imbes na kuchain sila, let’s just listen and support them. They need us. Hindi naman nila bet na magka-ganun sila eh.
So after the long day at workshop, lumabas kami with the Jutanders, na nghahyperventilate sa overpass! Kaloka! hahaha. Di kinaya ng lungs at rayuma ni Anti! hehehe. Ito nalang mga kumeri sa alay lakad!
Bongga din, pagsapit ng 10pm, naglalabasan na parang kabute ang midnight UK! Kahit di pa midnight anjan na sila! Bagsak presyo galore!
The next day, group pic naman!
More groupies! Game ang mga tanders. hehe
With the young-looking Maam Joy. :) Vda pero freshness parin!
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