So Mayor Edwin Santiago impressed the essence of the celebration of Pyestang Fernandino at Monday’s press conference launching the fiesta activities.
Culture and tradition – from serenata and polosa to Flores de Mayo and tilbury races, trade – agro-industrial fair, tiangge and car shows, pageantry – Mutya and Lakan, Little Miss Fernandino, Miss Gay Fernandino, entertainment galore jampack the fiesta’s calendar of activities.
And more – scheduled on May 15, from 4:30 p.m. onwards, in front of city hall is Candlelight Memorial and Rock for AIDS Concert.
Whoa! What has AIDS got to do with the celebration of Pyestang Fernandino? Has the dreaded “scourge of mankind” taken its niche in Kapampangan culture and tradition?
Actually, an activity piggy-backed with the fiesta celebration, with the Department of Health’s scheduled HIV testing around the province to “help reduce the spread of the deadly infection,” to wit: May 11 at the DOH Regional Office in Barangay Maimpis, CSF; May 11-15 in Angeles City; May 15 at CSF; and May 17 in Mabalacat City.
Still, the city government should have exercised prudence, and separated the AIDS event from the fiesta calendar of activities.
It just looks askance to behold the menace interspersed with local culture and tradition.
Yeah, the only culture I can associate with AIDS is that in a petri dish in some sterile laboratory.
But who am I to tell the city government what must it do in the AIDS awareness campaign?
The same time last year, I made fun here of the Angeles City government’s proffered solution to the AIDS problem. Only to rue it now.
Here’s part of what I wrote under the title Nobrainer:
Angeles City’s aim: Zero HIV detection
So screamed the May 21 banner story of Headline Gitnang Luzon.
Zero HIV detection?
In utter disbelief, as I was? Read on:
“The city government, in joining the world in lighting candles to remember AIDS victims, is aiming for a zero HIV detection through the initiative of the communities.” So the lead paragraph qualifies.
Zero HIV detection. It’s really there. So, believe. As I did. And some other readers I chanced upon over coffee and doughnuts at Krispy Kreme, SM City Clark.
And on the bases of the headline and the lead, I readily assumed – and they agreed: The collective intelligence obtaining at the Angeles City hall is equal to that of a gnat’s.
I repeat, boldly now: The collective intelligence obtaining at the Angeles City hall is equal to that of a gnat’s.
Angeles City could not have aimed any lower than zero HIV detection in its campaign against the dreaded affliction. That is not only the lowest but even the basest level the LGU could ever aim for…
While it may take a community initiative to light candles in some commemorative ceremonies – as indeed it took Angeles City, according to the story – it does not take that much number of people to achieve zero HIV detection.
Yeah, as in the case of evil readily triumphing when good people do nothing, all it takes for the city government to accomplish that zerosum aim is to close its eyes to any and all cases of HIV in the city, past, present and to come.
Zero detection of HIV. Zero case of HIV. Zero case of AIDS. Ergo: totally safe sex at Fields Avenue, the very ground zero of HIV-AIDS in the city, moreso in the rest of it. Simple as that.
Yeah, in one fell swoop – okay, with one banner headline – Angeles City appears to have found the final solution to its HIV-AIDS problem there…
Aiming for zero HIV detection makes the Angeles City government the proverbial ostrich burying its head in the sand, which unwittingly exposes its behind, thereby the temptation to kick it. As we may well be doing now.
Aiming for zero HIV detection makes the Angeles City government two of the three proverbial monkeys – the one seeing no evil and the one hearing no evil – thoroughly insensitive, if not clueless, to what goes around them. But we choose not to assume the monkeyness to speak no evil. So you’re reading this now, though evil it may come to those it may be inflicted upon.
By aiming for zero HIV detection, the Angeles City government can be accused of shirking its responsibility to protect and preserve the health, and uplift the welfare of its people. Thus negating the LGU’s very reason for being.
Thus making a mockery of all those best practices, seal of good housekeeping, sound fiscal management and good governance awards and recognitions so far reaped by the city.
Well, what do you know!
In the latest list of red-flagged cities with high prevalence of HIV and AIDS, Angeles City is out of the Top Six, comprising: Cebu at 7.7 percent prevalence rate; Manila and Quezon City, at 6.7 percent; Davao, five percent and Cagayan de Oro, 4.7 percent.
Yeah, Zero-HIV Detection rate worked.
Make that part of the city culture.
