It was in December 2007 that I have assumed the presidency of the AIDS Society of the Philippines, Inc. (ASP). It was a time of uncertainty and just like all other Philippine HIV and AIDS NGOs,it was faced with near extinction because of dwindling funds.

Fortunately, the ASP has withstood such challenge as it became the Department of Health’s prime partner in the implementation of the Global Funds for the HIV component from 2008 up to the present.

Through the years, the ASP has honed its skill as a program administrator/manager and to a certain extent, provided technical assistance to the Philippine government in implementing HIV and AIDS programs by capacitating different local government units on HIV and AIDS preventive and promotive programs, HIV peer outreach activities and the like. For that,ASP is honored and privileged to be in anyway of help to contribute to the HIV national responses targeting the most at risk populations (MARPS) — people in prostitution (PIP), men having sex with men (MSM), people who inject with drugs (PWID) migrant workers and their partners. Six years has passed by and ASP has learned to face all odds and challenges as with HIV program implementation and has remained committed to serve its stakeholders working in the fields.

This 15th May 2015 marks a very auspicious milestone in my HIV and AIDS profession as I hereby turn over the leadership and presidency to Dr Maria Isabel Melgar. As I step down as President, I will be in turn still be active as one of the three (3) Board of Advisers of the Foundation.

May I take this opportunity to introduce Dr Maria Isabel Melgar.

Isabel, as commonly called by her colleagues is a PAP-certified Clinical Psychologist and Psychometrician. She has been with AIDS work since the early 1990s and has a formidable understanding of the history of HIV and AIDS in the Philippines, as she is one of the key persons who has helped during the early years of the AIDS Society of the Philippines, in particular, the running of various HIV and AIDS skills building workshops.

Professor/Dr Melgar is a full time faculty member of the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), Director for Clinical & Community Service ADMU; Section head of Patient support services, St Lukes Cancer Institute of St Lukes Hospital; and has served as co-investigator, research consultant of various researches of various sciences and disciplines and she has authored various books, chapters related to her field of expertise and interest to include HIV and AIDS.

I am deeply honored as I present Dr Melgar to all of you as the new President of The AIDS Society of the Philippines. ASP will be led by a staunch advocate and surely will bring new horizons to the agency. I am thanking each and everyone for their warm welcome and support as we jointly continue to heighten and intensify our energies towards curbing the Philippines HIV and AIDS epidemic!

With warm regards

Jose Narciso Melchor C Sescon, MD FPOGS
Outgoing ASP President
President, AIDS Society of the Philippines, Inc 2008-2015
Board of Adviser, ASP 2015 up to the present

The Asia and Pacific Regional Professional Societies Network (APRSN) is a network of professional societies across Asia and the Pacific which represents HIV and sexual health care providers. This network supports capacities, skills and needs of professionals, in order to provide best practice advice to national HIV bodies and best practice care to people affected by, and living with, HIV and AIDS across Asia and the Pacific. The network is committed to the principles of PLHIV inclusion, gender, disability and human rights contexts, as these relate to HIV.

The ASPRSN members actively seek collaborative projects, which allow transfer of skills, and the capacity and professional development of HIV and related health care providers, in different settings with similar challenges and contexts. The Network seeks to engage with other organizations working in Asia and the Pacific, in support of national and regional HIV programs, and the long term sustainability of HIV related programs.

ASP Board of Trustees namely, Dr Jojo Sescon, President, Dr Caloy Calica, BOT member and 2 members and colleagues attended the ASHM Leadership and Mentoring Program-Australasian Society for HIV Medicine (ASHM) in time with the 2014 AIDS Conference in Melbourne Australia.

ASP is certainly keened with this new endeavour by joining this regional society. This will further strengthen ASP organizationally an opportunity to engage with other professional societies in Asia and the Pacific, very timely , as ASP take on its preparation for the 2015 ASEAN Integration. It is an avenue for knowledge management, resource sharing , networking/ partnership development in the region.

Download the newsletter here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzYcCzvsXGxlblR2OW5HTXNTQnM/view?usp=sharing

We believe the perspectives on the 6 themed topics offered by our guest speakers and the subsequent discussion amply highlighted the importance of the pieces of evidence presented from the Asia Pacific Region, the national scenario and the positive community’s perspectives. Clearly there is work to be done in formulating successful strategies and executing them in partnership with the government. This is an ongoing process and we are happy that we are one in our hopes and commitment as we signed the 2014 AIDS Manifesto.

Your presence helped to make this event a great success and your enthusiasm and positive spirit helped make our time together both productive and fun.  We wish you all the best and hope that you continue to be engaged with the AIDS Society of the Philippines.  Stay tuned for upcoming events by visiting www.aidsphil.org.

If you are interested in reading the presentation slides from our speakers, please feel free to click on their topics that are in the link.

Sincerely,

AIDS Society of the Philippines, Inc.