Catbalogan city council member to sponsor ordinance to establish city AIDS council

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA Samar)
December 2, 2008

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar  –  Catbalogan City Sangguniang Panlungsod member Arthur Vaughn Zosa vowed to sponsor an ordinance that would create the city AIDS council.

This he announced as the Samar Provincial AIDS Council commemorated World AIDS Day on Monday at the Imelda Park, Catbalogan City.

Zosa reacted to the clamor of the stakeholders to create local AIDS council to address the silent pandemic, as called by health authorities.

It was in the year 2007 when a group of concerned individuals both from government and NGOs deemed it proper to organize SPAC to address concerns as regards AIDS.

Now operating on its second year (although not registered yet with SEC), SPAC serves as a unifier when it comes to activities that have something to do with HIV/AIDS in the province of Samar. SPAC feels that with the creation of the new Catbalogan AIDS Council, it will be an effective partner in the advocacies being done at the local level.

Zosa brought with him scores of city government employees to join the ‘joggers’ united to stand for the prevention of HIV/AIDS. The group also commits to serve as multipliers of correct information as to the prevention of HIV/AIDS in the province of Samar and the city of Catbalogan.

In the program, Acting Governor Jesus Radaja was joined by SPAC Chairman Eunice Babalcon and Board Member Ida Lim to show people how the leaders support the programs in response to HIV/AIDS.

Leadership is the theme for World AIDS Day 2007 and 2008 with the campaign slogan: “Stop AIDS. Keep the promise-leadership.”

Leadership, said one organizer, encourages leaders at all levels to stop AIDS. In the global perspective, leaders committed to stop the spread of the disease as early as 1988.

It was in 1988 when health ministers from around the world met and agreed on the concept, it is now time to deliver and keep the promise of stopping the spread of the disease.