Another Face

It's really bothering me why the incidence of HIV/AIDS is still on the rise when there are a lot of awareness programs going around the country. I wonder why people, like me, never listened. I wonder why these awareness programs never penetrated my very mind. I wonder why I didn't get scared. I read another blog and the blogger said, in his opinion, that the awareness programs are useless. He was aware and still he caught HIV. I was like that too. So why? We are all aware that the incidence of HIV is still rising, but with the increasing awareness, so is the number of HIV/AIDS infections. Is it because more and more are getting tested? Maybe, but we have to be more happy if those who have been tested turn out to be negative, but seems more are infected. We also have to consider that there an alarming number of blood donors who still don't know that they are infected too. They are lingering somewhere in our society. Are they aware? Maybe. But I guess, they are more scared of being tested.

I don't want to blame culture and religion anymore. I'm done with that. What is important is what we can do, now. What I can do now to help.

So what is the root of the problem in our society? DOH is presenting an alarming 8 persons per day infection and there are already 7,684 persons living with HIV. How come we are not alarmed yet?

We are all just part of the statistics, that is why. We are just numbers to most congressmen and politicians. Only a few came out with a full face and identity to help prevent the spread of the disease. Most people believe because the virus is not attached to a lot of faces, we are just numbers to them. Because people are not coming out to tell their stories in public, a lot of people may think that HIV/AIDS is a myth only... that it doesn't exist.

The awareness programs here, mostly are in visual photos, show real people... famous and good looking people. In Africa they showed dying people.. people who are in their death beds trying to fight.. and people listened. Here awareness programs don't invite people to come out, or invite more PLWH to share their stories publicly. In other countries, the PLWH are walking out on the streets fighting for their rights. In our country, mostly the activists are doing the talking, in other countries, the PLWH especially those who are sick with OI's show up in public and government held forums.

I thought about coming out to the public. I want to actually. Im 75% ready. I worry about my partner and my family though. I don't know if they are ready to answer questions about me and how it will affect their lives. But if this will help to humanize those numbers, I am more than willing to come out and show myself and tell everybody that I have AIDS. I have a great story to tell and to share.

I know I need to learn from the other pozzies who came out before. I need to know their struggles. I need to know how they prepared their loved ones. This is another phase of my life that I know I can really influence people to listen. I really wanna give hope. I want to put another face on the disease and belong to the list of courageous men and women who have done it in the name of helping other people, to prevent and fight this virus.

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