World AIDS Day: Pinay Miss U Catriona at Pia, napabalik-tanaw bago naging advocate sa HIV awareness

Umaani ng paghanga ang dalawang Pinay Miss Universe beauty na sina Pia Wurtzbach at Catriona Magnayon Gray sa World AIDS Day 2020 commemoration-celebration.

Ito’y kasunod ng pagiging guest speaker nila hinggil sa kauna-unahang #SaferNowPH Summit, isang online conference na tumalakay sa mga bagong paraan tungo sa pag-iwa sa HIV (human immunodeficiency viruses), na isinagawa sa Paranaque City.

Unang nagtalumpati ang pang-apat na Pinay Miss Universe kung saan kanyang sinabi na pinili niyang matutunan ang nararapat na malalim na pakikitungo para sa mga taong may AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) lalo’t minsan siyang nawalan ng kaibigan dahil sa naturang sakit.

“It actually started from a passion and that passion was rooted with a personal loss. It so happened that within my first two years of living in the Philippines, I lost a good friend to an HIV infection that subsequenlty developed into AIDS. It was something that I didn’t understand at that time, it was something that I heard about, but I didn’t understand anything about HIV or AIDS at all, I didn’t understand anything about how it affected an individual.. and I’m one of those people, I’m really stubborn that if i don’t understand something, I want to know talaga…” bahagi ng pahayag ni Gray.

“..and it really gave a story to it, not that it was an isolated incident but a curse and happens that affect so many- not just from the health perspective but also in the quality of life perspective, in self acceptance, self love, overcoming things like discrimination and stigma,” dagdag nito.

Nagbigay naman ng payo ang pangatlong Pinay Miss Universe na umaming kanya lang din natutunan ang tamang pakikitungo noong unang beses pagkatiwalaan ng isang taong may HIV.

“Just listen. You know, when somebody opens up to you, they’re not looking for an answer or solution, they just want support. Of course you dont have the answers, of couse you don’t have the cure, you dont have all of these. But they need you to listen, to understand and to not show any judgement at all. Huwag magbago ‘yung body language mo, ‘yung the way ka magsalita or ‘yung tingin mo sa kanya,” ani Wurtzbach.

“Do you know how much bravery it takes, and courage it takes to open up to somebody about soemthing so personal like that? if somebody comes up to you and chooses to share this information, see it as this person trusts you, ahh, kausapin mo rin sila, ask them if they’re OK, how they’re doing, what kind of support do they need, how can u help,” dagdag nito.