A Public Service Announcement

The hypocondriac in me would like to express my profound sense of relief for getting a negative reading in my Hepatitis B, Syphilis, and HIV tests. Hooray me!

It may sound a bit distasteful, but I would still like to urge each and everyone who is entering a relationship or who engages in risky sexual behavior to get yourself tested. That goes to you, all single Filipino men who read my blog. Yes you, who don't like to wear condoms, who refuse to wear condoms at the point of no return.

I would like to stress that I am aware of the consequences all of the sexual activities I mention in my blog, and therefore, I take regular pap smears and gum stain tests from my gynecologist. I took a Pap Smear test last March, and a Gum staining test last August. They also came back negative, again to my relief. I would also urge all the women who read my blog to take responsibility for their sexual behavior. Please, please, it is for your own good.

For the longest time, I postponed getting an HIV test because I was afraid that I would be HIV positive. Now I feel that I have the peace of mind to go on with my life with Thom, who has tested HIV negative as well. God bless them foreigners, who refuse to take sexually risky behavior!

My medical technician/gyno intern friend encouraged me to take the test. He said that in his line of work, he has learned that HIV is not the big problem in the Philippines, but Hepatitis B! Apparently, Hepa-B is endemic in the Philippines. Syphilis is next in the list of top STDs in the Philippines. I decided not to take the Hepa-C test, since the probability of my acquiring it is low.

For all those who want to get tested, Here's everything you need to know: I had myself tested in Makati Medical Center. If you want to take the cheap route, donate blood at the second floor of the building, where the blood donation center is. I think the minimum donor amount is 600 cc of blood, and you get the results of your lab test and a blood donor card if you test negative for malaria, HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B and C after 12 hours. If you are not able to donate blood because you smoke, weigh less than 110 pounds like me, drank alcohol 12 hours prior to bloodletting, or are menstruating, then get yourself tested at the Laboratory on the First Floor. Results for the HIV and Syphilis tests come out after a week, while the Hepa B tests will be released at the Nuclear Medicine department at the second floor after three working days.

The TPHA test for syphilis costs P 860, HIV Elisa test is only P 600. HBSAg test for hepa B and the test for Hepa-C is P 900 each.

Tomorrow, details of our San Pablo trip. Ta-ta!