UN helping Phl reduce HIV cases through local governments

MANILA, Philippines - The United Nations (UN) is now identifying local government officials who publicly make a stand against HIV and AIDS to provide them with direct assistance.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director Renaud Myer said the UN is helping the Philippines reduce the rising number of HIV cases by placing local governments at the forefront of the campaign against the disease.

The UNDP launched the three-year program against HIV and AIDS in 2009 to strengthen the capacity of local governments in sustaining the decline of infection.

“UNDP wanted to be a little bit different and look at HIV in a holistic way, from a governance perspective, which is a real UNDP niche, and to look at leadership issues especially at the local level,” Myer said. “We also try to identify governors or mayors who take a stand on HIV publicly and then we go and provide them with direct assistance.”

According to a 2010 report by UNAIDS, the Joint UN Program on HIV and AIDS, the Philippines is one of seven countries worldwide reporting an increase of over 25 percent in new cases since 2001.

Interior Undersecretary Austere Panadero said local governments are in a better position to formulate anti-HIV/AIDS strategies because they are familiar with communities.

“Local governments are in a better position to craft a more effective strategy because they know their area, they know how communities would handle this problem, and the kinds of vulnerabilities in their areas,” said Panadero.

Ferchito Avelino, executive director of the Philippine National AIDS Council Secretariat, said that there had been an improvement in the last two years in the localization of response to HIV and AIDS.