HIV cases soar among Filipino yuppies, call center workers
Casual sex, orgies are seen as possible causes of the problem
| AT A GLANCE: |
|
Health experts warn the Philippines could be facing an HIV epidemic since the spread of the disease has risen rapidly. A forum led by the United Nations Development Programme last year determined several risk factors that contribute to the spread of HIV including:
The spread of HIV has been said to be a hidden and growing problem. |
MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine General Hospital on Wednesday said the number of Filipinos infected with HIV rose dramatically in the past 10 months and now includes young urban professionals such as call center agents.
Doctors at the PGH Infectious Disease Treatment Complex said the number of human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) cases in the hospital rose to 100 in the past 10 months.
Records from the Department of Health showed that the number of HIV cases rose to 709 last year, compared to 528 in 2008.
Dr. Edsel Savana of the PGH Infectious Disease Treatment Complex said 80 HIV cases were recorded for November alone.
"The spread of AIDS in the country is already an epidemic. We should be on the lookout because AIDS spreads fast," he said.
Savana said most of those who contract HIV are sex workers, gays and drug addicts.
Dr. Katerina Leyritana, however, said hospitals have also recorded HIV cases among young urban professionals such as call center agents.
She said majority of the recent HIV cases tend to be younger, mostly from ages 15-29, who are well educated.
Some of those infected said they got the illness after engaging in casual or group sex, which they discovered through social networking sites on the Internet.
"There are a lot of sites right now that can organize orgies quickly. A lot of young people believe in casual sex," she said.
If current trends hold, the health department said HIV patients in the country could balloon to 20,000 cases by 2020.
The PGH said it will conduct a massive information drive to warn people about the possible dangers of unsafe sex. With a report from Jay Ruiz, ABS-CBN News.
Printer-friendly version
Send to friend
Share your views
Test Call Center Foreign Clients first!!!
I can give 1 reason why HIV suddenly affected call center agents...
It's because of those foreign clients call centers have...Most of them F*ck around while they are here. Some agents even take advantage of it in exchange for a promotion... this happens and this is true.
I know it's too late for this but still we have to do it... foreign clients should be tested first before entering our country...
This article clearly shed a
This article clearly shed a bad light on call center/ BPO professionals without proof or data. This is the only thing mentioned in the article:
"Dr. Katerina Leyritana, however, said hospitals have also recorded HIV cases among young urban professionals such as call center agents."
Yet the title is:
"HIV cases soar among Filipino yuppies, call center workers."
Without giving any factual figures.
This article created an image of immorality on one of the largest, fastest growing, and highest earning professions in the country.
I think it is only fair to demand that this article be retracted or rewritten and the writer and editor be reprimanded for recklessly posting this.
STOP STEREOTYPING CALL CENTER AGENTS!!!
STOP STEREOTYPING CALL CENTER AGENTS!!!
HIV has been here long before call centers became a part of our vocabulary. Working in the BPO industry doesn't mean that a person is automatically or has a high chance of being an HIV carrier. Mas marami lang nagtatrabaho sa call centers kaya mas marami rin yung figures na binibigay. Pero kung ire-ratio and proportion 'yon, there may only be a handful of individuals.
SEX EDUCATION, SAFE SEX or what-have-you shouldn't only be imposed in call centers. DAPAT LAHAT NG TAO ALAM ANG MGA 'YAN!
If you want something done, it has to start with the FAMILY then going outwards. Ang maipapayo ko lang sa mga parents... The more you consider sex as TABOO, the more your kids will become curious and eventually commit mistakes that neither of you can fix.
Do you share...
Its very sad to know the chances for our children to be inflicted by this dreadfull disease is very high. I think we as parents should work hard to constantly communicate with our children when it comes to their social life. We must instill to them the moral culture of our Filipino heritage. As to the operators of call centers, i hope you do your share in dispersing moral ethics and include in your training decent/moral values in work places. HIV/Aids is no joke.
Nakakalungkot at nakababahala
ang balitang ito ay nakakalungkot at nakababahala para sa ating mga anak. Ito ay nagpapatunay lamang na iba na talaga ang kabataan ngayon. Dapat ay pag-igihan pa ng mga magulang ang paggabay sa mga anak.
Philippines Travel | Cebu | Bohol
This is the deteriorating
condition of the youth in the Philippines. YTou can see and hear this through the social networking sites or chatrooms. The attitudes of the young (regardless of sex) are COMPLETELY different nowadays and they tend to be ill-mannered. Unless the government and especially the parents, come forward and put the break on these young people...the Philippines will no longer be the Philippines we used to see during the old days.... sigh... parents can only do so much...the environment (peer pressure for one) plays a more important role to these young minds who thought they are already old enough to know what is right or wrong... until they find out later on na nagkamali pala sila..... TOO LATE.