Vote for Erimar as the People’s Choice for Mr. Gay World 2013

UPDATE: As of 17 July 2013, Erimar has taken the #1 rank on the People's Choice Award for Mr Gay World 2013. Keep on voting everyday so he can keep the lead and we can help LoveYourself Anglo win USD500!
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LoveYourself invites everyone to vote for Erimar Ortigas to become the People’s Choice in Mr. Gay World 2013 and help the advocacy build a new free HIV testing hub. 

Erimar will be the country’s representative to the Mr. Gay World 2013 competition to be held in Antwerp, Belgium. Erimar is hoping to make it a back-to-back Filipino win. Last year, the Philippine’s Carlito Floro Rosadino won the People's Choice Award 2012.

Charity Prize

The competition is currently holding a People’s Choice online voting contest whose winner will earn $500 for his chosen charity. 

Should he win, Erimar has chosen LoveYourself to receive the charity cash prize. This amount will go a long way for the advocacy to provide free HIV testing and counseling services in the Philippines. 

“It is important that we know our HIV status. Having knowledge about AIDS and HIV could be the first step to saving lives,” said Erimar on why he chose LoveYourself.

The $500 cash prize will specifically help build LoveYourself Anglo, its second free HIV testing hub soon to rise along Shaw Boulevard near Ortigas Center,  in addition to its founding hub located in Malate.

Click here to vote for Erimar

About Erimar

Erimar is a 29-year-old operations leader and communications manager for a business process outsourcing or BPO firm. Erimar is an out-and-proud and caring older brother and likes to unwind during the weekends by engaging in sports like swimming, bowling or billiards.

He has also gotten into the gym to help tone his body in preparation for the Mr. Gay World 2013 competition. "I now regularly go to the gym to stay fit and healthy."

Erimar is also an active supporter of gay causes, not only of LoveYourself but also of Home for the Golden Gays. He said his involvement has been steadily growing as he becomes a more prominent figure that represents the LGBT community.

"It has been a wonderful experience joining Mr. Gay World because I learned to become more confident. Involving myself in LGBT projects makes me happier."

Erimar believes that gay men have an equal shot at happiness like married couples, but it takes patience and mutual respect for one's partner to make relationships work.

"I believe the secret to a loving and lasting relationship is being contented. We should learn to accept our differences."

Erimar admits to being quite the romantic. He serenades his partners with touching gestures, like preparing memorable dates that sweep his dates off their feet.

"A date for me should be unique, fun, romantic, memorable but inexpensive. So I would bring that special someone to Intramuros, Manila wherein we could ride a kalesa together and walk together in the park. And of course, I want to prepare my special version of a candlelit dinner."

For those who see him as a role model of a hardworking and respectable gay man who is proud of his sexuality, Erimar said that confidence starts with accepting and loving yourself.

"I would like to tell the young gay Filipinos that they should learn to love themselves. I learned to love myself and my unique qualities, including being gay. We have so much to offer in this world."

Click here to vote for Erimar

Show your support

Individuals can vote once per day. Voters will not only help support Erimar and his chosen advocacy, they also stand a chance to win $200, subject to the contest’s eligibility conditions. Voting ends on midnight GMT, August 3, 2013 so make sure to vote daily. 

Check back on this page for Erimar’s current rankings.

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On Increasing Positives: LoveYourself Celebrates the Community Pride in You

Join the i am #creative pride promotion of LoveYourself. Discover the power of validating one's worth and win eyewear from Sprinto ™ ! Learn more about it.
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June is the month when everyone is out and waving the rainbow flag—the symbol of the LGBT movement which long fought, and continues to fight, for social equality and human rights.

LoveYourself, an organization for the youth and LGBT-MSM, celebrates with the community by launching Project WORTHY: a campaign that is based on the “Happy Approach”—its own signature for achieving the organization’s goals—embodied using the hashtags: #light, #love, and #worthy.

The campaign starts as Pride month celebrations culminate, and will continue to build momentum as we welcome two important milestones for the organization: (i) the LoveYourself 2nd anniversary this July, and (ii) LoveYourself Anglo, a new community center on the rise. Both momentous events show the dedication and growth that LoveYourself has been achieving in its advocacy for HIV awareness and prevention in the Philippines.

While it could still be a long and difficult path towards achieving an HIV-free Philippines, LoveYourself chooses to highlight the beautiful and positive side of the issue: the community and [You] the person.

i am #light

Self-awareness is an integral part of unraveling the real you. Life takes on more meaning when it makes sense to you, so make it a point to know what and who you value most.
Dare to embrace yourself. Find out things about yourself and others that you can appreciate.

While it may not be easy to determine what we really want, it is not too difficult to identify things we don’t. It is for this reason that LoveYourself seeks to empower and help people realize their own self-worth, especially when they are at rock bottom in their lives. In the fight against HIV, when people are weak and vulnerable because of frustrations in life, they might just give in to something they don’t want in the first place—engaging in risky sexual behavior.

Knowing that you are worthy means that even in the darkest moments of life, you can find the light within, for self-preservation.

i am #love

Love is often a big word to describe, but in LoveYourself, it is Care.

Tending to others’ needs is not an easy commitment. We started from a small group of friends with a common goal of responding to the growing concerns about the spread of HIV. With love in mind, we continue to harness the positive power of each person’s natural well-being, and treat this blessing as the main driving force to care for another. This kind of pay-it-forward attitude has attracted more people to join the cause, triggering a ripple effect that multiplies LoveYourself’s capacity to help and care for even more people.

To give homage to its humble beginnings, we tag the anniversary celebrations of LoveYourself as “Circle of Love”. As we go back to the original circle of friends who established LoveYourself, we move on to create infinitely more circles of friendship and love, and we hope to reach you too, soon!

i am #worthy

We in LoveYourself believe that to celebrate is to rejoice with others, and join together to build a community where no one is left behind. Everyone uses the power of their own positive outlook to uplift others. To Share is our passion.

Part of helping others feel worthy about themselves is to actually reach out to those who are in need. LoveYourself Anglo does just that. With your help, we can make this dream into a reality, bringing LoveYourself to the heart of Metro Manila to continue providing a safe and affirming place for everyone. 

It is our wish to help everyone face their fears. HIV has been shrouded with stigma for far too long, and we want to be a venue where open dialogue is the culture. People opening up about sexuality and issues on HIV will eventually lead them to decisions which give them more security and self-worth. 

Do you know your HIV status? Are you open to behavioral change? Let us share experiences with each other!

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Lichauco Designs Anglo: client confidentiality drives architecture

Client confidentiality remains at the forefront of the architectural design for the soon-to-rise LoveYourself Anglo on Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong.

Renowned architect Dan Lichauco, together with his team at the Archion Achitects, has ensured that those who will undergo HIV screening at the new center will be accorded the privacy due them.

As Lichauco puts it, paramount to the clients’ need for counseling and testing is the guarantee that the procedure shall remain confidential.

Along with this, he also puts forth that LoveYourself Anglo will stay true in fostering a welcoming and supportive environment for everyone who ventures into its confines.

Those requisites for spatial design may be more challenging than usual but not for Lichauco, whose architectural works include major hospital projects like The Medical City, The Asian Hospital and Medical Center, and Ospital ng Makati.

“Since we do a lot of healthcare projects, we felt that we could share our learning and experience in helping the community,” Lichauco said.

The layout for LoveYourself Anglo showcases both a public and a private space that shall cater to specific processes of the HIV screening.

Six counseling rooms and a doctor’s exam room are also slated to open in the new Hub.

Lichauco explains that the Love Yourself Anglo design is consistent with his previous projects where considerations involve process flows for healthcare and steering clear of medical cross contamination.

Like the architect, LoveYourself aims to see the fruition of a new Hub that will open its doors to the growing audience of the organization.

But this will not be possible without your help. To know how you can contribute to this project, click on the red button below.

Every help we get along the way will be much appreciated.

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Love Yourself ANGLO: With your help, a new community center will rise

One out of seven countries in the world with a rising number of new HIV infections, the Philippines is in dire need of help. We in Love Yourself, a community-driven group, are determined to address this concern head-on. Everyone in Love Yourself is a volunteer. We do this because we care. 

Share and help us make a difference in the lives of thousands of people through your donations! 

A COMMUNITY IN NEED.

This chart shows the monthly increase of clients at the LoveYourself Hub since the start of 2012.

In partnership with RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine), LoveYourself has been able to reach thousands of MSMs (men who have sex with men) via the LoveYourself Hub. Located in Malate Manila, one of the favorite hangouts of MSMs in the metro, the LoveYourself Hub is an RITM satellite clinic and a LoveYourself community center. Riding off this successful partnership, LoveYourself hopes to ramp up its efforts and position itself to better handle the exponential increase in clients. 

Enter LoveYourself ANGLO. Located at the heart of Metro Manila, and near the up and coming gay vortex of Ortigas and Mandaluyong, LoveYourself ANGLO will be a community center that will be providing a much needed safe and affirming place for the MSM community. It will be a counseling and education space, an HIV clinic and a space to meet and converge. It will be a community center where one can be free of the stigma of one’s sexuality and HIV status. 

LOVEYOURSELF ANGLO

LoveYourself ANGLO will feature six (6) counseling rooms, a lab, a doctor’s room and a multi-purpose hall. Its innovative modular design will allow for great functionality to adapt to the needs of the community. With your help we can achieve this long overdue dream.

HOW CAN I HELP?

Our target is to raise at least 35,000 USD to help renovate the space. Every little bit counts and no donation is too small.

Find out how you can donate to help make this project a reality.

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LoveYourself Platinum: What Happens during HIV testing?

LoveYourself Platinum
Book your appointment today: http://go.LoveYourself.ph/platinum

Who deserves LoveYourself Platinum?

This is perfect for people who do not want to be seen taking their HIV test in a center, clinic or hospital. Everything is mindfully prepared and ensured to be smooth-flowing for the most discreet and delicate clients.

What is the difference when you come for Platinum? 
Platinum Testing takes place somewhere at a discreet but accessible location in Makati, Mandaluyong or Muntinlupa. When you register, a coordinator will closely and confidentially communicate with you regarding the details of your appointment, including the exact location and address. During your appointment, you arrive and a private room is reserved for you -- where you will meet your counselor, and a medical technologist who will do the test for you. You receive the results within 2 hours, also in the privacy of your own counseling room.

When is Platinum available/open?

Please refer to http://go.LoveYourself.ph/platinum for upcoming schedules we open. Beyond these designated dates and times, we are not yet able to accommodate other visits.

Why are there only limited slots for booking? Can I do a tentative booking?

To maintain the quality of service, we limit the number of scheduled bookings for each day. Once you have a confirmed booking, we expect you to show up. Should you need to cancel an appointment, please do so at least 24 hours before your schedule so that we can accommodate others instead.

How long will the whole process take?

When you arrive in the venue, expect to spend around 30 minutes or a bit more for pre-test counseling and blood extraction. You will then be requested to leave the premises while waiting for your results, which could take from 30 minutes to 2 hours max. Once your results are ready, you will be asked to come back and discuss your results with your counselor.

Please note that we will require you to receive your results on the same day. Booking priority will be given to those who can allot sufficient time for the whole process.

Is there a fee or is it for free?

To support this Platinum quality service, we will appreciate voluntary donation (standard donation is P550 and above) for each client. The donations fund the special logistical requirements needed for us to sustain this offering.

Where do I start?
To set appointment, register via this link: http://go.loveyourself.ph/platinum -- someone will contact you to confirm your appointment, and you'll be all set. Your information will be handled with strictest confidentiality.

What actually happens during HIV testing?

Here's a short video that can give you a visual idea of how HIV testing happens.

You can also read what our other clients had to say about LoveYourself Platinum here.

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BETTER TOGETHER: in celebration of the 30th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial

We are celebrating the 30th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial once more with a mass public yoga practice followed by a short Kirtan and candle lighting ceremony.

Calling the event, "Better Together", we aim to bring solidarity within the HIV advocacy community and also reinforce the beauty and transformative power of our yoga practice in helping groups and individuals affected by HIV and AIDS.

See you on May 26, 4pm, at the Charito Planas Gardens in Quezon Memorial Circle.

Registration Fee is Php 150. Proceeds will help support Yoga For Life's advocacy towards assisting more people affected by HIV/AIDS. 

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"Happy Approach" to HIV Awareness Results in Huge Increase in Number of People Getting Tested

The Love Yourself Hub, a clinic and events space jointly operated by the community-based organization Love Yourself and the Department of Health’s Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, posted its first quarter results for 2013, registering a 5-fold increase in the number of people accessing its free HIV testing services, compared to the same quarter last year. A total of 1,028 individuals came to the Malate-based facility during the period January to March 2013, while during the same period in 2012, there were 171.

Such impressive growth in clientele is consistent with the velocity of increase as observed throughout 2012, with average growth rate of 24% per month.

The partnership between a private non-governmental organization Love Yourself and the government’s Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) was key to this success. “We were both able to leverage our strengths – RITM is one of the country’s centers for HIV-related services, while our group had the marketing savvy to connect the clients to the needed services,” explains Ian Felix Alquiros, Director for Partnerships at Love Yourself. “This is an example of success for a public-private partnership program.”

Another critical driver to this success is the distinctive way with which Love Yourself reaches out to the community in encouraging people to pay attention and act on the spreading HIV epidemic. Since its inception, Love Yourself has consciously stayed away from using fear-based tactics to elicit attention and behavior change related to HIV prevention. “We believe that we serve the community best by keeping HIV talk away from grim and scare. In all our communication, we highlight the positive side of things. In the midst of the epidemic, we fight fear with love, and we keep on smiling!” says Love Yourself president and founder, Ronnievinn Pagtakhan, a nurse by profession.

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Fly Love Yourself: How to Have Sex and Avoid HIV (feat.Sebastian Castro) [VIDEO]

Sebastian Castro, star of the phenomenal YouTube hit “Bubble,” talks about HIV in our new chic and cheeky instructional video entitled,"
Fly Love Yourself: How to Enjoy Sex and Avoid HIV."

What really is HIV? 

How can one stay healthy and HIV-free, 

while living a smart and scrumptious sexy life? 

This video departs from the clinical approach of talking about the basics of HIV/AIDS. Instead, similar to an airline's in-flight safety video,  Sebastian encourages men to “dare” to fly, shows them how to take “care” of themselves during flight, and encourages them to “share” the video with others.

Joining Sebastian is our budding screen couple, Carlito Rosadino Floro Jr. and Javi Bermejo, who also recently starred in Love Yourself's "Know Your Status" video for Hornet.

Watch this video, have some fun and sexy time, and share away: http://go.loveyourself.ph/FLY

Be informed. Be safe. Fly Love Yourself.

Get a free HIV test. Visit LoveYourself.ph/HIVtest today.

Starring

Sebastian Castro

Carlito Rosadino Floro Jr.

Javi Bermejo

Ronnievinn Pagtakhan

Credits and Acknowledgements

Director: Jedd Rommel 

Cinematographer: Jedd Rommel 

Assistant Director: Antonio Payomo III

Producer: Anthony Liam 

Production Design: Joma Ragragio, Warren Alcazaren 

Lights: JR Sala II, Cinerent

Script Writer: Joel Macaventa

Editor and Motion Graphics: Don Yu and Pepot Atienza

Muscial Score: Brian Cua

Voiceover Talent: Anya Santos-Uy

Logo Design: Lord-Art Lomarda and Joma Ragragio

Hair and Make-up: Clarence Paul

Talent Coordinator: Paolo Xavier Co

Production Design Assistant: Nathaniel Villanueva

Propsmakers: Angel Cabatan, Mark Belardo and Friends

Drivers: Joey Lumibao and Domingo Mumar

Consultants

Ronnievinn Pagtakhan 

Chris Lagman 

Lawrence Villegas 

Jeoff Solas 

Luigene Yanoria 

Ian Felix Alquiros

Acknowledgments

Aleli Mesina

Angelo Esperanzate

Chef Joerkensen

Dennis Sebastian

Big Shift

Live Vibe Cafe

DreamWeaver Visual Exponents, Inc.

Cinerent

Vfactor

Spin Talents

Special Thanks to

Hornet

ISEAN-Hivos

PNGOC

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LoveYourself SYNERGY - Join our Communications and Events committees

LoveYourself needs committed individuals who celebrate the vision of a self-loving, healthy, and HIV/STI-free Philippines—those who have the time, energy, and team spirit to share via volunteer work and community service.

Join our Communications committee if you have a knack for writing, content strategy, graphic arts, or marketing. This committee needs critical and creative thinkers as being part of the group means ensuring synchronized, clear, and consistent interaction among teams, volunteers, and our partners.

Become a member of our Events Management committee and lead in promotions, sponsorships, visual design, or logistics. Being dynamic, personable, cooperative (and able-bodied) are all part of being in Events Management, as they plan and execute activities to further engage and invite more people into our advocacy.

If you believe you have the empathy, open mind, and people skills to become an HIV counselor and educator, then enlist in the Counseling & Education committee! This means being trained to be HIV counselors and educators—directly helping the organization's objectives in HIV and AIDS awareness, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.

Volunteer and sign up via our website: http://www.loveyourself.ph/p/i-want-to-help.html.

Come together in LoveYourself Synergy!

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LoveYourself SILVER SCREENINGS: A fund-raising movie night for HIV testing

Save the date: May 21, 2013

Join us for a special back-to-back treat this MAY 21 at the Robinson's Galleria Cinema and help us raise much-needed funds for our efforts, including our HIV testing and counseling activities.

SLUMBER PARTY special screening (7 PM)
starring Sef Cadayona, RK Bagatsing, Archie Alemania
and Markki Stroem


JUANA C., THE MOVIE premiere screening  (9 PM)
directed by Jade Castro (Zombadings)
starring Juana Change, Jelson Bay, Joel Torre, Nino Mulach,
John James Uy, Mads Nicolas and more

For ticket reservations, visit:
http://go.LoveYourself.ph/SilverScreenings

Please help us spread the word, not the virus!

Slumber Party Trailer

Juana C. Trailer

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