(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Saturday, 12 July 2025) The Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) continues to affect Mindanao. FORECAST: The Zamboanga Peninsula will experience cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the Southwest Monsoon. These conditions may lead to possible flash floods or landslides, especially during moderate to occasionally heavy rainfall. The rest of Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms also influenced by the Southwest Monsoon. Winds will be light to moderate from the southwest, with slight to moderate seas (wave height between 0.6 to 2.1 meters).


Thursday, 19 June 2025

DOH introduces ABCDE against HIV transmission

By Mariesh F. Celedeña

BUTUAN CITY (PIA) - The Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) Caraga introduced the ABCDE to prevent the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) during the recent Media Forum in Butuan City.

DOH-CHD Caraga defined ABCDE as: Abstaining from sex; Be mutually faithful; Correct and consistent use of condoms; Do not share needles and do not use drugs and alcohol; and Educate yourself. 

It added that this acronym will help guide individuals to prevent transmission of HIV. 

According to Arlene Serrano, HIV program coordinator, there are people living with HIV (PLHIV) who are still sexually active and they are infecting other people. “This is one of the reasons why there is an increase in the number of cases infected with HIV in the region. She urged the public to practice ABCDE.”

She also corrected some of the myths and misconceptions on the mode of transmission of HIV  such as coughing and sneezing, sharing of beds, handshakes, and insect bites. “HIV can only be transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse, HIV infected mother to child transmission, and exposure to infected blood.”

“Infection happens when a PLHIV engages in sexual contact with a person without HIV through the vagina, rectum, opening of urethra, and wounds or breaks in the skin,” she said.

Most of the HIV cases in Caraga region are transmitted through male to male sex with 1,203 cases from 1995 to February 2025 and 94 percent of PLHIV are male. (MFC, PIA Caraga)