#LoveYourself seeks to create a strong LGBT community against HIV and hate

Self-worth is a rare trait fostered through acceptance and support. But in the LGBTQI community, self-worth becomes a life-saving commodity.

LoveYourself, a non-profit volunteer-based group, recognizes the importance of self-worth and at Pride Night 2016, it invited the larger community to see how and why it's a lifesaver.

Visual and performance artists were called on to contribute their works at the exhibit celebrating Pride Month at Pineapple Lab on Saturday.

"It's a way of saying and telling people—tamang-tama sa Independence Day—na hey, we are here, we are here to stay, and we want to break the boundaries. We want to break the stereotypes, the inequalities, the biases," LoveYourself CEO/President Ronivin G. Pagtakhan said.

Among these artists is Tokwa Peñaflorida, who gave a frank assessment on why we must learn how to love ourselves.

"In a world that's full of hate and discrimination already, it can be very isolating at times. There's nothing you can do actually but to love yourself. It's the best thing you can actually do in this very hateful world that we're living in," Peñaflorida said.

But in light of rising HIV cases in the Philippines, self-love might be in short supply.

While the government began heavily promoting its HIV screening and treatment services, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) pointed out that it still fails to promote safe sex and negotiate policies that prevent access to clean needles among men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSMs) and people who inject drugs (PWIDs), groups at highest risk of contracting HIV and AIDS.

Organizations such as LoveYourself and Pedal for HIV led by Faustine Luell Tupas Angeles Jr. aims to fill in that gap by helping those who test positive to remain active in the community.

"We are hoping that more people living with HIV will come out and show the community that we are living normally. There's a way (for) us to encourage people to get tested. To show living proof that people with HIV can live normally," Angeles said.

Mark Ghosn, performer and writer for Ampalaya Monologues, said self-love is still possible after discovering one's status and that a fully-realized life awaits those who move on after their grieving period.

"You can take your time to grieve, you can take your time to be sad about it, but just make sure that after that moment, you will pick yourself up and share your stories with others," Ghosn said.

"Loving yourself begins when you start accepting yourself, accepting the situation, and eventually using that situation to help others," he continued.

LoveYourself conducts free HIV testing, counseling, peer education, and referral for treatment at its community clinics in Shaw and Taft-Buendia. Both clinics are open every Wednesdays to Saturdays from 12:00 nn -7:00 p.m., and Sundays at 9:00 a.m.-2:00p.m.

"Dare to know your status, care for yourself so you'll be able to share whatever you have to other people," Pagtakhan said.

Pagtakhan believes offering clinical and counseling services to HIV-positive folks and the LGBTQI community brings more benefits than street protests as non-government groups can only do so much to change legislature.

"Before you come out o mag-rally (sa) labas, you need to be able to touch the inside first. Tayo muna. Let's help each other, let's make sure that people see the talent that we have bago tayo mag-go outside," he said.

Free HIV screenings are also offered by the DOH in any of its HIV testing centers while Philhealth offers the Outpatient HIV/AIDS Treatment (OHAT) package for patients who test positive for the virus. — AT, GMA News