Public school teachers to attend AIDS workshops

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InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

Public school teachers will soon be attending workshops that will inform them about the dangers or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the workplace.

Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Armin Luistro made this announcement on Tuesday, saying that these workshops are in compliance with Republic Act (R.A.) 8504 or the Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1988 and the Civil Service Commission Guidelines in the Implementation of Workplace Policy and Education Program on HIV and AIDS.

“This move is guided by a sense of urgency to address the unabated increase in the incidence of HIV infection in high-risk areas in the country,” Luistro explained.

The Philippines is one of two countries in Asia which has registered a spike in HIV incidence in recent years.

“This is happening while the rest of the region has been experiencing a downward trend,” Luistro added.

Documents from the National Epidemiology Center (NEC) of the Department of Health reported 313 cases in its 2012 March AIDS Registry, which means ten cases of HIV infection are being reported in the country every day.

Last July 11 to 13, the DepEd held a training of trainers on HIV/AIDS information and prevention program for the National Capital Region, whose participants included the initial eight Metro Manila divisions. The second batch of training was held last July 18 to 20 and was attended by eight more NCR divisions.

The Visayas leg will be held in Cebu on August 8 to 10 while the Mindanao leg will be in Davao on August 15 to 17, 2012.

The Department, with assistance from core trainers of the education committee of the Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC) will conduct the orientation for DepEd officials from the regions and divisions, including health personnel and administrative officers, education supervisors as well as alternative learning personnel.

“First we create awareness, then we communicate accurate, appropriate and comprehensive information, and then we institute measures on how to prevent its spread by translating such knowledge into positive behavioral change. This can be done through a continuing education and information campaign that is culture and gender-sensitive for our employees and teachers," Luistro said.

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