Manila Bulletin
Philippines
National
Public school teachers in Puerto Princesa receive training on STI, HIV, and AIDS prevention
Philippines
National
Public school teachers in Puerto Princesa receive training on STI, HIV, and AIDS prevention
Public school teachers in Puerto Princesa receive training on STI, HIV, and AIDS prevention
Published Oct 27, 2025 03:41 pm
The Puerto Princesa City Health Office and Roots of Health conducted a three-day STI, HIV, and AIDS education training for teachers to strengthen youth awareness and reduce stigma in schools. (Photo from Roots of Health)
To strengthen sexual health education and prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV, and AIDS among young people, the Puerto Princesa City Health Office (CHO), through its Social Hygiene Clinic, partnered with Roots of Health (Ugat ng Kalusugan) for a three-day capacity-building training for public school educators.
The citywide training brought together 30 medical officers, nurses, teachers, and guidance counselors from 11 public secondary schools in Puerto Princesa City.
Public school teachers in Puerto Princesa City participate in a three-day training on STI, HIV, and AIDS education, organized by the City Health Office and Roots of Health to strengthen youth awareness and reduce stigma in schools. (Photo from Roots of Health)
The sessions aimed to equip educators with accurate, age-appropriate, and culturally sensitive information on sexual health—empowering them to guide students and address stigma in classroom discussions.
“We organized this training so teachers can become the resource and focal persons for STI and HIV education in their own classrooms,” said City Health Office Medical Technologist V. Regina Villapa. “There is still a lot of stigma and discomfort around sexual health in schools, and we want to help shift teachers’ perspectives so they see why accurate information should come from them and be integrated into their lessons,” she added.
Educators from public secondary schools in Puerto Princesa City join capacity-building sessions on sexual health education led by the City Health Office and Roots of Health. (Photo from Roots of Health)
Roots of Health HIV Programs Manager RR Morales, who facilitated the training, emphasized the importance of early and stigma-free education.
“Fear and misinformation keep people from getting tested or seeking care. By training teachers, we multiply voices that can reduce stigma inside classrooms,” she said. “When young people feel safe to ask questions early, they are more likely to protect themselves and access services without shame,” she added.
The training covered legal frameworks, empathy-based communication, cultural sensitivity, and teaching demonstrations.
Teachers and health professionals collaborate during a citywide training in Puerto Princesa aimed at empowering educators to deliver accurate and age-appropriate sexual health information. (Photo from Roots of Health)
Participants also learned about Puerto Princesa’s health referral system to ensure that students needing support can be guided toward confidential and appropriate services.
Morales added that Roots of Health will open a new HIV Treatment Hub in Puerto Princesa City early next year—the second in Palawan, alongside the Provincial Red Top Center. The facility aims to expand access to free, nonjudgmental HIV testing and care for Palaweños.
Both the City Health Office and Roots of Health underscored that empowering educators is a proactive and cost-effective strategy for HIV prevention. Teachers play a vital role in promoting accurate information, encouraging early testing, and helping students make informed decisions about their health.
The Puerto Princesa City Health Office and Roots of Health conduct interactive training on STI, HIV, and AIDS prevention for public school teachers to promote safe, stigma-free learning environments. (Photo from Roots of Health)
Dr. Starlet Rhonadez B. Oriel-Villan from the Department of Education (DepEd) noted that the initiative responds to growing concerns among educators amid rising HIV cases in the province.
Palawan recently recorded the youngest HIV-positive case in the Philippines, while national data show a more than 500 percent increase in HIV infections from 2010 to 2023, with over 50 new cases reported daily by the Department of Health (DOH).
Through the City Health Office’s partnership with Roots of Health, Puerto Princesa teachers undergo specialized STI, HIV, and AIDS education training to guide students in making informed health decisions. (Photo from Roots of Health)
Participating schools included Palawan National School, Puerto Princesa National Science High School, Marcelino Abadiano Javarez National High School, and the national high schools of Santa Monica, San Jose, Babuyan, Mandaragat, Sta. Lourdes, San Miguel, Sicsican, and Macarascas.
The collaboration between the City Health Office and Roots of Health highlights Puerto Princesa’s commitment to protecting youth through education, compassion, and access to quality health services.