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17 ZAMBOANGA CITY
Shutting the Backdoor to AIDS
Effective Partnership towards an AIDS-Free Zamboanga City
PARTNERSHIP between the local government and civil society
organizations, national government agencies, business and the private
sector has made the “AIDS-free Zamboanga City” campaign a
resounding success both inside and outside the city boundaries.
Proactive Measures
Zamboanga City is the country’s “backdoor”, a main trading center,
shipping and entry point to the Philippine’s neighboring countries. Its
ports are busy and its booming entertainment industry attracts thousands
of visitors from countries including those with high incidence of AIDS/
HIV like Brunei and Malaysia. Thus, while the city attracts potential
investors and tourists who could enhance the city’s economy, it also
becomes doubly vulnerable to the outbreak of AIDS/HIV and other
sexually transmitted diseases and infections (STDs/STIs). Because of
this and its strategic location, the Department of Health (DOH) National
HIV Sentinel Surveillance System has made Zamboanga City one of its
sentinel sites for its battle against the spread of AIDS/HIV.
Addressing the problem did not just mean providing the needed
services. It meant building unity against AIDS/HIV. It meant coming up
with comprehensive plans to address the problem. It meant continuing
the implementation of other programs that could alleviate poverty to
prevent residents from entering the lucrative, yet AIDS/HIV vulnerable,
entertainment industry. It entailed setting up a system of monitoring and
tracking people and encouraging every person in Zamboanga City,
residing or visiting, to cooperate and be part owners of the program. It
also required convincing people that these endeavors are safeguards
to, rather than infringements of, their inherent human rights.
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