12:14 AM
Philippine HIV Initiatives Database
The Philippine HIV Initiatives Database is an Internet-based resource developed for tracking AIDS response in the Philippines. It contains information on type of interventions, activities, key players (i.e., government, non-government, international agencies, people’s organizations), and geographic distribution of responses.
It has an Interactive Flash Map and can generate maps into JPEG for presentations.
Data was gathered through desk reviews, Internet search, research from different institutions, and through survey questionnaires.
The Philippine HIV Initiatives Database was developed by Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC) in partnership with Health and Development Initiatives Institute (HDII) and with support from the Global Fund-Tropical Disease Foundation. The AIDS community hopes that through this site, development partners would be able to see the meaningful Philippine AIDS response that is being implemented and they will be able to see where AIDS support is most needed and sustained.
The site is accessible at site at http://ariusproject.com/~hivdb/. The Database is a work in progress. To ensure sustainability, accuracy and continuous updating of the site, PNAC encourages all partners to visit and help in building up the database. Promotion of the site will also be appreciated. If you wish to add your organization you may contact PNAC Secretariat - jessiefantone@yahoo.com, pnac_sec@yahoo.com, at telephone +632-7430512.
The Philippine HIV Initiatives Database is an Internet-based resource developed for tracking AIDS response in the Philippines. It contains information on type of interventions, activities, key players (i.e., government, non-government, international agencies, people’s organizations), and geographic distribution of responses.
It has an Interactive Flash Map and can generate maps into JPEG for presentations.
Data was gathered through desk reviews, Internet search, research from different institutions, and through survey questionnaires.
The Philippine HIV Initiatives Database was developed by Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC) in partnership with Health and Development Initiatives Institute (HDII) and with support from the Global Fund-Tropical Disease Foundation. The AIDS community hopes that through this site, development partners would be able to see the meaningful Philippine AIDS response that is being implemented and they will be able to see where AIDS support is most needed and sustained.
The site is accessible at site at http://ariusproject.com/~hivdb/. The Database is a work in progress. To ensure sustainability, accuracy and continuous updating of the site, PNAC encourages all partners to visit and help in building up the database. Promotion of the site will also be appreciated. If you wish to add your organization you may contact PNAC Secretariat - jessiefantone@yahoo.com, pnac_sec@yahoo.com, at telephone +632-7430512.
10:01 PM
Speech Given at United Nations High Level Meeting on HIV
June 9-11, 2008.
Dr. Jessie F. Fantone
Philippine National AIDS Council Secretariat
Good morning Madam Chairperson, fellow members of the panel, ladies and gentlemen. It is an honor to represent my country, the Philippines and my region, Southeast Asia in this High Level Meeting and share with you our experience on how we respond to gender equality and HIV, and how to operationalize a multi sectoral approach to gender equality in the context of the HIV epidemic.
In explaining why the Philippines is a confusing mix of conservatism and liberalism on sexual issues, a popular Filipino journalist said that “its what you get after spending more than 300 years in a convent, followed by 50 years of exposure to Hollywood”. I presume our colleagues from Spain and the USA would know what I mean. And so would all the other countries who were once under Spain. They would also agree that in our common Spanish-influenced cultures, the honor and respect we bestow on women is one that is instilled in us from childhood.
But it is the same conservative culture that has often contributed to women and girls vulnerability to HIV. An example would be the difficulty women and girls have in discussing sex especially with their spouses or partners due to prevailing cultural norms. Sexual health problems would rather be kept to themselves than seek help, because talking about it is considered taboo.
Madam Chairperson, we in government are aware that cultural factors cannot be changed overnight and changing them to improve gender equality will be a long term goal. It is therefore incumbent upon us in government to provide an immediate response as a short term goal to assure that women and girls are not left out when responding to the HIV and AIDS pandemic.
We have long been aware of the need for a multi-sectoral response to the epidemic since the early 90s. Our creation of a multi-sectoral council was due to the early realization that HIV was not just a health issue but one that intertwined with poverty, education, economics, governance and social factors.
I represent the government health sector in my country, but the organization that I head is made up of 16 government agencies and 9 very active civil society organizations who themselves represent other CSOs.
Our National AIDS Council is the first to admit the presence of so many gaps and challenges in addressing gender equality. This was made more apparent when we established with the help of UNAIDS our Monitoring and Evaluation team in the council. The gaps were further validated during the collection of data for the recently submitted Philippine UNGASS report.
Some of the issues that we found and need to be addressed are the following:
· Lack of a specific program for women and girls. Our programs are designed as one size fits all
· Presence of many laws protecting women but are not being implemented
· Unclear policies on adolescent reproductive health
· Exclusion of girls from government health services because they are not yet supposed to have sex
· One of our partners in the council, the Dept. of Education for whom much of our advocacy for school children is dependent on still has not implemented an institutionalized sex education program in schools. Because of this, millions of children are deprived of basic knowledge on prevention and awareness
· Access to services for women and girls are very limited unless they are members of high risk or vulnerable groups
· Focus of interventions for sex partners are usually for the male partner specially among Overseas Filipino Workers and injecting drug users
· Less access to services for women and girls due to more stigma and discrimination on their part
· Increasing number of young people engaging in premarital sex and still getting younger
· Misconceptions among the young people that they cannot become infected with HIV
Fortunately, our realization of these challenges has prompted the council and in turn the government to review and refocus our AIDS Medium Term Plan to address these gaps and challenges.
Many of the other issues are also due to a lack of resources. I am glad to report that our national HIV program budget has just been recently increased from a hundred thousand dollars to about a million dollars. This plus funding from a recently approved Global Fund grant will address the lack of resources.
Among our government partners, though recognition of HIV and AIDS has long been acknowledged as more than just a health issue, budgetary support from their organizations to implement HIV and AIDS programs has always been lacking. The reason from our Dept of Budget is that such programs are not considered a major final output of their office and should be the responsibility of the Dept. of Health. This year, after years of explanations and representations with our purse holders, they have finally agreed to let National AIDS Council members from government to include in their budgets funding for HIV and AIDS programs.
Madam Chairperson, allow me to briefly mention the existence in our country of an organization called the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women which was created in 1975. Its mission is to steer development efforts towards womens’ empowerment and gender equality. Through the years it has implemented strategic plans which ensures the fundamental equality before the law of both women and men. Its focus for the years 2001 to 2010 are: Promoting womens’ empowerment; fulfilling and protecting womens’ human rights; and promoting gender-responsive good governance. It takes pride in the many significant progress and achievements for the empowerment of women in my country. This commission has implemented a policy wherein all government departments from central to municipal earmark 5% of their annual budgets to spend on gender and development programs.
Although my country is considered a low-prevalence in terms of HIV prevalence, the classification looses its meaning when compared to other countries who face the same issues of gender equality.
Thus we acknowledge the urgency and importance that unless issues of gender and discrimination, stigma and empowerment are immediately tackled, the attainment of our targets and goals and the overall reversal of the HIV and AIDS epidemic will be difficult to achieve.
Thank you and good day.
June 9-11, 2008.
Dr. Jessie F. Fantone
Philippine National AIDS Council Secretariat
Good morning Madam Chairperson, fellow members of the panel, ladies and gentlemen. It is an honor to represent my country, the Philippines and my region, Southeast Asia in this High Level Meeting and share with you our experience on how we respond to gender equality and HIV, and how to operationalize a multi sectoral approach to gender equality in the context of the HIV epidemic.
In explaining why the Philippines is a confusing mix of conservatism and liberalism on sexual issues, a popular Filipino journalist said that “its what you get after spending more than 300 years in a convent, followed by 50 years of exposure to Hollywood”. I presume our colleagues from Spain and the USA would know what I mean. And so would all the other countries who were once under Spain. They would also agree that in our common Spanish-influenced cultures, the honor and respect we bestow on women is one that is instilled in us from childhood.
But it is the same conservative culture that has often contributed to women and girls vulnerability to HIV. An example would be the difficulty women and girls have in discussing sex especially with their spouses or partners due to prevailing cultural norms. Sexual health problems would rather be kept to themselves than seek help, because talking about it is considered taboo.
Madam Chairperson, we in government are aware that cultural factors cannot be changed overnight and changing them to improve gender equality will be a long term goal. It is therefore incumbent upon us in government to provide an immediate response as a short term goal to assure that women and girls are not left out when responding to the HIV and AIDS pandemic.
We have long been aware of the need for a multi-sectoral response to the epidemic since the early 90s. Our creation of a multi-sectoral council was due to the early realization that HIV was not just a health issue but one that intertwined with poverty, education, economics, governance and social factors.
I represent the government health sector in my country, but the organization that I head is made up of 16 government agencies and 9 very active civil society organizations who themselves represent other CSOs.
Our National AIDS Council is the first to admit the presence of so many gaps and challenges in addressing gender equality. This was made more apparent when we established with the help of UNAIDS our Monitoring and Evaluation team in the council. The gaps were further validated during the collection of data for the recently submitted Philippine UNGASS report.
Some of the issues that we found and need to be addressed are the following:
· Lack of a specific program for women and girls. Our programs are designed as one size fits all
· Presence of many laws protecting women but are not being implemented
· Unclear policies on adolescent reproductive health
· Exclusion of girls from government health services because they are not yet supposed to have sex
· One of our partners in the council, the Dept. of Education for whom much of our advocacy for school children is dependent on still has not implemented an institutionalized sex education program in schools. Because of this, millions of children are deprived of basic knowledge on prevention and awareness
· Access to services for women and girls are very limited unless they are members of high risk or vulnerable groups
· Focus of interventions for sex partners are usually for the male partner specially among Overseas Filipino Workers and injecting drug users
· Less access to services for women and girls due to more stigma and discrimination on their part
· Increasing number of young people engaging in premarital sex and still getting younger
· Misconceptions among the young people that they cannot become infected with HIV
Fortunately, our realization of these challenges has prompted the council and in turn the government to review and refocus our AIDS Medium Term Plan to address these gaps and challenges.
Many of the other issues are also due to a lack of resources. I am glad to report that our national HIV program budget has just been recently increased from a hundred thousand dollars to about a million dollars. This plus funding from a recently approved Global Fund grant will address the lack of resources.
Among our government partners, though recognition of HIV and AIDS has long been acknowledged as more than just a health issue, budgetary support from their organizations to implement HIV and AIDS programs has always been lacking. The reason from our Dept of Budget is that such programs are not considered a major final output of their office and should be the responsibility of the Dept. of Health. This year, after years of explanations and representations with our purse holders, they have finally agreed to let National AIDS Council members from government to include in their budgets funding for HIV and AIDS programs.
Madam Chairperson, allow me to briefly mention the existence in our country of an organization called the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women which was created in 1975. Its mission is to steer development efforts towards womens’ empowerment and gender equality. Through the years it has implemented strategic plans which ensures the fundamental equality before the law of both women and men. Its focus for the years 2001 to 2010 are: Promoting womens’ empowerment; fulfilling and protecting womens’ human rights; and promoting gender-responsive good governance. It takes pride in the many significant progress and achievements for the empowerment of women in my country. This commission has implemented a policy wherein all government departments from central to municipal earmark 5% of their annual budgets to spend on gender and development programs.
Although my country is considered a low-prevalence in terms of HIV prevalence, the classification looses its meaning when compared to other countries who face the same issues of gender equality.
Thus we acknowledge the urgency and importance that unless issues of gender and discrimination, stigma and empowerment are immediately tackled, the attainment of our targets and goals and the overall reversal of the HIV and AIDS epidemic will be difficult to achieve.
Thank you and good day.