A health-based non-government organization, Bagani Community Center holds Pride Fest on June 25 in celebration of the Pride month to help Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV) in Negros Occidental. This is the second Pride event hosted by Bagani since its establishment in 2019, where it will feature local talents from the LGBT+ community, as well as bring the advocacy for HIV education, awareness, and prevention.
The event will be held at the pool area of Acacia Hotel and will start at 9 a.m. During the event, Bagani will launch its HIV-treatment hub, the first and only NGO-run treatment center on Negros Island, and a self-care HIV testing program.
Bagani’s Hub Manager Butch Lavaro said the event will be a venue to celebrate pride, advocate LGBT+ acceptance in our community, and spread awareness about HIV that it’s not only affecting the queers but everyone.
The event will be also highlighted by the performance of the Bacolod Drag Queens and Artians Cheerdnace Squad with local DJs, Masskara Dancers, and other surprise performances from various local talents of Bacolod.
There will be booths for free HIV testing, Bagani’s program and projects, SafeSpaces Initiative, and caravan initiative “Prisma”, which has been touring around Negros in the past two years spreading HIV education and awareness.
The event’s ticket is at P300, and all of the proceeds will go to Bagani Cares, the NGO’s philanthropic arm which aims to help PLHIVs in Negros Occidental afford the medication and treatment against HIV/AIDS.
Based on the records of the Department of Health, there are around 2,000 HIV cases in the province in 2021. “While we celebrate pride, let us also remind ourselves that breaking the stigma against the LGBT+ community and PLVHIV is still a long way. Let us lend ourselves to fighting it through education and engagement,” Lavaro added.
For tickets and reservations, you may contact the Bagani by LoveYourself Facebook Page or contact Czar Real at 09486960485./*MLG Photo Caption: Members of Bagani Community Center in their Pride Fest celebration last year.
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