THE Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday assured that it will not force the hand of the Department of Education (DepEd) to join in the former’s campaign versus the spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among the youth.
According to Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial, they will not oblige the DepEd to approve the plan to distribute condoms in schools in a bid to encourage the youth to practice safe sex.
“There is no coercion at all in this strategy. Kung ano ang mapaag-agreehan naming (with DepEd), yun ang gagawin. Wala po pilitan ito,” said Ubial.
Currently, she said they are still in close coordination with the DepEd with regard to the possible guidelines of the proposed program.
“Ang usapan po sa DepEd ay continuing process. There is no deadline. This is a work in progress,” said the Health chief.
Among them, she said, is on how to possibly go about with the HIV prevention campaign while the youth are still on their formative years.
Ubial also said they are looking on effective ways to engage parents and teachers in the campaign versus HIV spread.
It was late last year when Ubial disclosed that the DOH is planning to distribute condoms in schools as part of its “business unusual” strategy versus the HIV epidemic among the youth.
But if talks eventually fail, the DOH head said they are already mulling on the possibility of tapping friends and colleagues in the campaign.
“We will have the peers, yung mga kabataan mismo ang magiging advocates (versus HIV) to their classmates and friends,” said Ubial when asked what they would do in case the DepEd does not agree to have condoms distributed in schools.
Aside from peer distribution of condoms,Ubial assured that they will also include peer counselling and peer training in the campaign.
“Madali lang pag-distribute ng condom. Ang mahirap ay yung education. Ang pinaka strategy pa rin natin is information and education for the youth,” said Ubial. (HDT/VoxPop Philippines)