Only 1 out of 5 young Filipinos have comprehensive
knowledge about HIV/AIDS
By Ross Hettinger and Marilou Galang

BUTUAN CITY, Dec. 11 – Did you know that only 1 out
of 5 young Filipinos have comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS?
Knowledge of HIV/AIDS is considered comprehensive
when one can identify the two major ways of preventing HIV transmission, knows
that a healthy-looking person can transmit HIV and rejects the two most common
local misconceptions about HIV transmission.
Findings of the 2015 Updating Survey conducted by
the Department of Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research
Institute (DOST-FNRI) revealed that even though majority of young Filipinos
aged 15-24 years have heard of HIV/AIDS, few have comprehensive correct
knowledge of the disease. Majority of young Filipinos knew the two major ways
of preventing HIV transmission (58.4%) and that a healthy looking person can
have AIDS (68.8%). However, only 1 out
of 4 knew that a person could not be infected with HIV through mosquito bites
and by sharing food with someone who is HIV-positive.
As reported by the Department of Health (DOH), of
the 629 persons diagnosed with HIV in April 2017, 80% or 1 out of 4 belong to
the 15 to 34 age group. This alarmingly increasing HIV cases among young
Filipinos entails that public health education needs to be intensified.
HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment policies may also need to be revisited and
redefined.
For more information, contact Dr. Mario V.
Capanzana, Director of DOST-FNRI, General Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City;
telephone/fax nos: 837-2934 or 837-3164; direct line:839-1839; DOST trunk line:
837-2071-82 local 2296 or 2284; e-mail: mvc@fnri.dost.gov.ph or at
mar_v_c@yahoo.com; FNRI-DOST website: http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph.
You may also like DOST-FNRI's Facebook page at
facebook.com/FNRI.DOST or follow the Twitter account at twitter.com/FNRI_DOST.
(FNRI-DOST S & T Media Service/PIA-Caraga)
Abaca fiber warehouse turned over to AgNor coop
SANTIAGO, Agusan del Norte, Dec. 11 – The Abaca
Fiber Warehouse and Equipment with drying areas in the municipality of
Santiago, Agusan del Norte was turned-over to San Isidro Upland Farmers
Multipurpose Cooperative (SIUFMULCO).
The construction of the P15 million worth of Abaca
fiber warehouse with a drying area was funded by the Department of
Agriculture’s (DA’s) Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) and the
Provincial Government of Agusan del Norte.
This project has a total approved project cost of
P31 million, wherein P16 million was allotted for the enterprise development
component.
During the blessing and turnover ceremony, Governor
Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante-Matba cut the ribbon, together with DA Caraga
Regional Executive Director Abel James I. Monteagudo; Board Member Dick Victor
Carmona, Chair Committee on Public Works; Representative of Mayor Lim, Mr.
Jhonny Galbo, MENRO; and Barangay Captain Elmer Monteclaro of barangay San
Isidro, Santiago, Agusan del Norte. (ATCarmona, Agusan del Norte/PIA-Agusan del
Norte)
