The Love Yourself Hub will serve as a resource center for counseling and education, wellness, prevention and treatment programs for the communities the Project serves, especially the youth and LGBT-MSM, in response to sexually transmitted infections and other sexuality-related concerns.
One of its main programs is continuing HIV Counseling and Testing, with the support of the Research Institute for Topical Medicine. The other goals include: promotion of civic equality without regard to HIV status, religion, sex, gender preference and culture; skills training for advocate volunteers on HIV counseling, HIV health education and management; empowerment for professionals and other advocate volunteers to administer timely, appropriate therapeutic counseling and safe quality care; promotion of HIV education (e.g. Philippine HIV/AIDS Law) through partnerships with education-related groups and organizations; alignment with the Philippine National AIDS Council, World Health Organization and other partners to maximize resources.
The Love Yourself Hub will embrace the ideals of its parent organization, the Love Yourself Project, by reaching out to the community it serves through ideas and practices that encourage loving one's self--to DARE to be oneself, to CARE for oneself, and to SHARE oneself as a way to multiplying joy.
Over a period of one year, the Love Yourself Project, the brainchild of Twitter Shorty Awards Nurse of the Year awardee Ronivin (Vinn) Garcia Pagtakhan, has now grown to almost 100 educators and counselors, and over 500 volunteers nationwide from all sectors of society.
The first anniversary of the Love Yourself Project will see these activities:
• July 8 (Sunday, 6 p.m.)--Formal opening of the Love Yourself Hub, highlighted by “How Do I Love Thee,” a fund-raising photo-exhibit by Ian Felix Alquiros featuring photographs of male torsos in black and white.
• July 15 (Sunday, 6 p.m.)--Film Showing: “Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa”, Best Picture winner at the 35th Gawad Urian, starring Rocco Nacino and Paolo Avelino (Best Actor, 35th Gawad Urian); and a short film, “Nessun Dorma”, by Ron Genato and Jedd Rommel.
• July 21 (Saturday, 9 p.m.)--“Circle of Love”, the Love Yourself Anniversary party, to be held at BED Manila. Special guest performers include La Chiquitta, Hongkong’s top drag performer; the Hotlegs; comedienne and soprano Beverly Salviejo; and Drag-ons.
• July 29 (Sunday, 6 p.m.)--Wellness demonstration conducted by Bay Leaf Spa on “Massage for Pleasure”.
• Aug 5 (Sunday, 6 p.m.)--Forum on “Top Ten Tips: Succeeding in the Corporate World for People Like Us”, conducted by popular blogger Corporate Closet.
For further details and information, visit www.loveyourself.ph, follow on Facebook facebook.com/loveyourself.ph and on Twitter @LoveYourself_VA
