Baguio residents celebrate AIDS Candlelight Memorial Day 2024

March 11, 2024 | By Rain Julia Maduli

Candles arranged to form a ribbon are floating on Burnham Lake for the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial on May 10. (The Companion/V Barachita)

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — In commemoration of the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, the Baguio Association of Night Spots (BANS) and other Baguio entertainers celebrated the lives of HIV/AIDS patients at the Burnham Lake platform on Friday, May 10.

“Inaalala natin yung mga kapatid nating pumanaw dahil sa HIV/AIDS, pero higit pa do’n ay ayaw nating madagdagan yung number na yun. That’s why we are advocating this kind of activity,” said Dr. Bernard Demot, a Medical Specialist of Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, HIV and AIDS Core Team (BGHMC-HACT) in a press conference.

This year's event is centered around the theme "Put People First: Kandila ng Pagkalinga, Liwanag ng Pag-asa." In addition, Dr. Cecilia Brillantes, the acting city health officer, stated that the number of Baguio entertainers who attended this year is over 200.

The program began with opening remarks from Dr. Cecilia Brillantes, followed by a message of solidarity from Mr. Darwin Babon, a Development Management Officer III at DOH-CAR, and continued with a life testimony from Jomari Gandia, a person living with HIV.

Gandia recounted his decade-long journey with HIV and how it has impacted him due to the stigma he has faced.

“Nawawalan na ko ng gana mabuhay, ayoko na makisalamuha sa mga tao kasi pinangdirihan na ko,” he said in his speech.

He mentioned that he now knows himself better and is not afraid of his dark past. He concluded his speech by challenging everyone to understand HIV/AIDS patients without discrimination.

The program ended with the signing of the Health Services Office (HSO) HIV Policy by the Reproductive Health and Wellness Center (RHWC) and the lighting of candles supported by Baguio entertainers on Burnham Lake.

Dr. Darwin Babon, from the Department of Health Cordillera Administrative Region (DOH-CAR), said that they are in solidarity with the different communities affected and infected by HIV/AIDS in the region.

“HIV/AIDS is still a threat to every family and every individual, but let us not use that as a reason to discriminate and put down other people,” he added.

Every year, there are two celebrated events concerning AIDS Candlelight Memorial and the observance of World AIDS Day on December 1.