AIDS Society of the Philippines
Working for Service Excellence
PUBLISHED: SEPTEMBER 2009

Established in 1996 by Dr. Ofelia T. Monzon (who, by the way, pioneered investigative studies on HIV/AIDS at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Alabang, Muntinlupa), the AIDS Society of the Philippines (ASP) is an “association of individuals from government, non-government agencies, and private sector with a common unifying interest in preventing the spread of HIV and AIDS.”

The Society, affiliated to the AIDS Society of Asia and the Pacific (ASAP) and Philippine NGO Council on Population, Health and Welfare Inc. (PNGOC), has, among others:

Established the AIDS Media Awards in 1999 as a media and literary contest meant to utilize mass media resources to inform, educate and community with the public about HIV and AIDS.

According to ASP’s Web site: “In general, the project aims to develop and strengthen linkages with professional media practitioners and to stimulate and sustain pro-active participation to the HIV/AIDS intervention efforts. Its specific objectives is to develop more AIDS advocates among the members of the media community, to establish more sustainable partnership with media, and to increase public awareness and knowledge about HIV/AIDS through media that will consequently effect behavior change.”

The program’s effectivity was what made it part of the national program of PNAC in 2000.

The AIDS Media Awards mainly involved print and broadcast journalism with the following categories: Best News Feature in Print, Best News Feature in Radio and Best News Feature in Television.

Also, in partnership with Levi Strauss Philippines, conceptualized Sa Kuwentong Masaya, Bata'y May Pag-asa, a project that will provide children with interesting, informative and alternative information on the different issues on HIV/AIDS education, advocacy, prevention, and care.

“Since its inception on April 18, 1996, ASP has established a reputation for excellence in the quality of its activities, adhering to the founding Mission and Vision. With the critical observation that HIV/AIDS is a problem common to all people, ASP has shown sensitivity and responsiveness to HIV/AIDS issues of relevance to the community not only in this country but also in the Asia Pacific region. This is borne out by the activities it has pursued and continues to plan for,”
ASP’s Web site further states.

For information, visit http://www.aidsphil.org/.