Puerto Galera: Summer Belongs to You

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Do you believe that every summer has a story? Well, I do. It’s because I know that in a span of more or less 60 days, a lot of things can happen, a lot of changes may occur, a lot of memories will surely be treasured.

Last April 25, 2014, we went to Calapan, Oriental Mindoro. First, we traveled from Pasay to Batangas Port to ride a ferry. I was quite excited because it’s my first time riding such ‘cause most of the time, we travel by plane or a van. I fell asleep during the road trip because I woke up so early in the morning so that we would be able to ride the 12 o’clock trip. As soon as we got there, we just paid the fee then headed to the ferry. The trip lasted for 3 hours and even if we’re just sitting there, I find it exhausting but the view during the ride was priceless.

We stayed in my mom’s friend’s house in Calapan but we left the place first thing in the morning so that we’ll have a lot of time to enjoy the beach in Puerto Galera. It took us an hour and a half to travel from Calapan to Puerto Galera. The trip’s exciting but at the same time scary because of the zigzag road but fortunately we got there safe. After lunch, we’ve decided to swim though it’s kind of hot and we’ll surely be toasted but we didn’t mind. After all, we’re there to enjoy and not to be a kill joy. We rode the banana boat and I was able to try kayaking.

“How Do I Love Thee II ” Photo Exhibit Set to Open at LoveYourself Anglo

Wazzup Pilipinas!

LoveYourself, a volunteer advocacy organization proudly presents “How Do I Love Thee II ”- a fund raising photo-exhibit whose theme focuses on the ideals of Love Yourself by propagating ideas and practices that encourage loving one's self -- to DARE to be oneself, to CARE for oneself, and to SHARE oneself as a way to multiplying joy, will feature the maiden works of self-taught photographer Kraus Estanislao.
Volunteers of LoveYourself live by the mission of embracing and nurturing self-worth, inspiring others, and creating ripples of positive change in the community. They work together to create a model community of MSM and friends who empower and affirm the self-worth of youth and MSM in the Philippines through various services, including free HIV testing and counseling. Through the unwavering courage and dedication of its volunteers, the organization was recognized nationally as one of the finalists to the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations in 2013.

" The theme that I chose for this exhibit is the beauty of the male human body in different forms, perspective and treatment. My photographs shall explore all its flawed but fascinating glory as magnified to clarity so that the audience will see through the marked difference between a nude man and a naked man. Both naked and nude maybe similar to one's thought, but nude photography has eroticism as its minor priority or should we say the last thing on one's spectator's mind. A nude photo is a celebration of the male human body with the power to captivate audiences, instead of a vulgar spectacle that screams for attention. " says Estanislao.

Global HIV Prevention Program Kicks Off in the Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Global football-based HIV prevention campaign Protect the Goal headlined by the Philippine football national team, Azkals, and targeting youth at risk, will officially be launched in the Philippines on June 22, 2014 during the opening of the LoveYourself Anglo, a new free HIV testing community center along Shaw Boulevard near Ortigas.

Protect the Goal  has swept the world with its sports-oriented approach to promoting HIV testing and safer sex behavior. The campaign ultimately seeks to help lower the risk of HIV transmission among the Filipino youth, specifically among young Filipino men. In the Philippines, 71% of new infections since 1984 were in young people and that two-thirds of high risk young people actually do not know their HIV status.

First launched at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the campaign has since been replicated in other Southeast Asian countries, and has now been launched in the Philippines led by Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and local partner, the Philippine Football Federation. The campaign also draws multi-sectoral support from partners such as the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and advocacy group LoveYourself.