Dumaguete Bishop Julito Cortes called for understanding, respect, compassion and mercy to people living with the human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or HIV/AIDS.

He aired this during his homily at a mass Sunday at the St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral in Dumaguete City, in celebration of the national Catholic AIDS Compassion.

Many are affected, stigmatized and rejected for this disease, and are not given or getting proper treatment or interventions, Cortes said. When Jesus Christ came to this world, He taught about helping others, giving love and compassion to the poor and the needy, he added.

People living with HIV/AIDS are considered such a sector of the community and we need to help them, he said.

Cortes said HIV/AIDS is already “pandemic” and not quite understood by many who are still fearful of the disease. He stressed the need for education on the disease as an effective “vaccine” to combat denial, prejudice and ignorance faced by people afflicted by HIV/AIDS.

While there is no cure for HIV/AIDS, advocacy groups and health authorities are calling for a more pro-active approach to encourage people to go for testing and for those living with AIDS to seek treatment.

Let us pray that there will be no more people infected by HIV/AIDS by increasing education and awareness of it, Cortes also said.

The Diocese of Dumaguete, in cooperation with its Social Action Center, headed by Fr. Burton Villarmente, and its Commission on Health, chaired by Fr. Ramonito Torres, launched the Philippine Catholic HIV/AIDS Network local chapter, headed by Abrahalina Gajonera, Sunday.

Cortes urged the people to support PhilCHAN’s activities to increase awareness about HIV/AIDS, targeting zero-stigma, zero-discrimination, zero-infection, and zero-AIDS related deaths.

Mila Grace Silab, sister-in-charge of the pro-life advocacy of St. Paul University-Dumaguete, said the Philippines is one of the nine countries in the world with an increasing number of HIV and AIDS cases, based on the 2014 report of the United Nations Joint Program on HIV/AIDS.

The new cases were found in Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao, with Region 7 ranked second among regions having the highest number of reported cases and key affected population, she said, adding that 16 positive HIV/AIDS cases are reported each day.*JFP

back to top