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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Be wary of HIV/AIDS, solon tells dating apps subscribers

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In this age of smartphone-based dating and “hook-ups,” a party-list lawmaker on Thursday warned the public to be wary about contracting sexually-transmitted diseases, such as HIV/AIDS which is rapidly reaching epidemic proportions.

“I believe it’s everybody’s right to be happy, but you can’t stay happy if you aren’t healthy,” Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta Party-list Rep. Jericho Nograles said.

“Sadly, the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country is very real. In fact, the Philippines has the fastest-growing number of human immunodeficiency virus infections in the Asia-Pacific. This virus isn’t something that you can simply swipe off,” Nograles noted.

Nograles made the statement in response to an announcement from the United Nations last August wherein it bared that there are 10,500 HIV cases in the country at the end of 2016. This is a rather alarming 140 percent jump from the 4,300 cases registered in 2010.

HIV infections are a precursor to the deadly Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

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As to the popularity of dating apps like Tinder, Skout, OKCupid, and HowAboutWe among Filipinos, Nograles said that a measure of precaution is needed if the country is to put the HIV/AIDS figures in check.

“These smartphone apps make connecting with new people easy and fun as if you were just playing a game. And when we play games, more often than not we don’t give much thought about the consequences of our actions,” Nograles pointed out.

“The reality is, thanks to technology, casual sex has never been easier. In the light of the HIV/AIDS situation in the country wherein infections are on the rise, precaution is a must,” Nograles said.

Dating apps have actually been patronized by gadget users for years. For example, Tinder, which popularized the swipe right-swipe left method, was launched in 2012. It has over 50 million users globally and boasts of 20 billion “matches.”

Other apps have gone a step further by catering to just a particular gender.

Regional support team director Eamonn Murphy of UNAIDS Asia-Pacific said last month that 83 percent of new HIV infections took place among males who have sex with males and transgender women who have sex with males.

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