In a bid of raising awareness about HIV and AIDS infection in our country, Project Headshot Clinic together with Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), launched “Move” on December 9, 2009 at Greenbelt 5 Fashion Walk in Makati City. Niccolo Cosme, one of the finest photographers in the Philippines, was the one who took the headshots of famous and influential such as Dr. Eric Tayag of DOH, Congresswoman Riza Hontiveros, Wanggo Gallaga, Tim Yap, Kristine Hermosa, Carlos Celdran and so much more.  Joining them also are the ordinary Filipinos who took their stand in raising awareness about HIV/AIDS issue in our country.

In a recent figures released by the Department of Health, there is an average of 64 new cases every month as of 2009, with an average of TWO new cases a day as compared to just ONE new case every three days almost a decade ago!

The alarming rate has caused several cause-oriented groups to move into information dissemination about HIV and the effects to human beings. Most of the Filipinos are neither aware nor they do know it but shun away from talking about it. Hence, it builds a “culture of ignorance” in which it can create myths and false information to the public, thus increasing the risks of more infection amongst the Filipinos. It also creates a social stigma to those who are positive in this syndrome, which made them the “modern day lepers.”

“Move” is just one way in pushing towards access to right information and creating awareness for the Filipino youth on what is HIV/AIDS is and how does it affect our body, mind and even our society. As one of the 7 Millennium Development Goals set by the United Nations by 2015, we as Filipinos should start curbing the number or those who are infected by promoting social hygiene, right information of the disease, and perhaps sex education and no-to-drugs programme. With the rise of people being infected by the HIV in the Philippines, don’t we think it is the right time to “move” before everything is too late?

For more information, log on to their website at HeadshotClinic.com and visit UNAIDS.org / UNAIDS blog.