15th International AIDS Conference Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. E10389)

Mondragon AL
Institution, Davao, Philippines

ISSUES: In 1998 Republic Act 8504 or the Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act was passed in Congress. But since then, the effect of the law has been hardly felt in terms of adopting local policies and programs by local government units in Mindanao. Prevention education was still done primarily by non-government organizations of which sustainability of such initiatives had always become a great concern especially that support from local and international donors had dramatically reduced in recent years.

DESCRIPTION: The Alliance Against AIDS in Mindanao took big step to influence local government units to enact gender sensitive and non-discriminatory AIDS Ordinance that would mandate current and future local government officials to allocate funds and deliver programs and services for AIDS prevention and care for persons with HIV/AIDS. As a result, an AIDS ordinance has been passed in Davao City, two cities are now deliberating their own proposed AIDS Ordinance while five cities with existing City AIDS Council are now in the process of drafting their local AIDS ordinance.

LESSONS LEARNED: Educating and building alliances with multi-sectoral groups like women, children/youth, workers, gays/lesbians have become instrumental in pressuring local legislators and officials to take concrete measures to address AIDS pandemic. Broad participation make it easier in pursuing policy advocacy work. Recommendation: Creative ways should be employed to make local policy makers and officials realize the urgency to carry out conrete measures to institutionalize AIDS prevention related programs and services in their respective localities.

040711
E10389

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