As opening program for this year’s Vigan City World AIDS Month Celebration with the theme: “END inequalities. End AIDS.”, the City Government of Vigan in partnership with the Maris Ti Ayat Inc. conducted three-day Seminar-Training on SOGIE 101, HIV-AIDS Awareness and Community Based Screening Motivators last November 15-17, 2021 at Vigan Conservation Complex.
Provincial Health Unit’s HIV Counsellor Mr. Lester Aldrine Rayray and HIV Coordinator and Proficient Medical Technician Mr. Josef Dominik Bello served as the trainers of the event.
Meanwhile, Mayor Juan Carlo Medina through City Health Officer II Loida Ranches and CHO Nurse I Mylene Amano gratified the Maris Ti Ayat Inc. for actively participating the event.
“Over thirty-six members and allies of the Maris Ti Ayat Inc. from various barangays took the said seminar-training that will serve as our additional Community Based Screening Motivators on HIV-AIDS in the city to conduct free screening to the Biguenos,” Jay Leonard Roldan, Maris Ti Ayat Inc. President said.
“It is very important for everyone to know our status not just for LGBTQIA+ members but for all kinds of gender because HIV-AIDS knows no gender. It may affect anyone. On behalf of the Maris Ti Ayat Inc. we’re very grateful to the City Government of Vigan led by Mayor Juan Carlo Medina and CHO II Loida Ranches for giving us this opportunity to learn and be more active and effective in advocating HIV-AIDS free community”, Roldan added.
The trained Motivators together with the City Heath Office will conduct free testing on HIV-AIDS on December 16-18, 2021 at the 39 Barangays of the city as part of the City’s World AIDS Month Celebration.