Richard B. Hayag
President
(2020 Year End GM Meeting)
2020 could be the most challenging year we had experienced since the establishment of our organization. The COVID-19 pandemic has led us to
sacrifice our usual routines and presented a great impact on how we do our advocacy work. Nevertheless, it taught us to innovate, to be grateful, and to evaluate our capacity to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights as an organization.
GM Family exerted an utmost amount of energy and effort to provide assistance to Bicolano PLHIVs through its #tARVangan initiative, which is to help PLHIVs, affected by the nationwide imposed quarantine, to have access to their life-saving antiretroviral medications. Our PLHIV support group partners in the region and across the country, the LGUs and the DOH ROV were truly helpful in this initiative. Likewise, GM Plus, GM Bicol's PLHIV support group went the extra mile in maximizing opportunities to provide quality support and assistance to the PLHIV community.
Our members and volunteers continued to provide counseling through online spaces and conduct HIV community-based screening. Despite the threats posed by the pandemic, our hearts never wavered.
Most importantly, the year 2020 could have not been as successful without the support given to us by our local and national partners, volunteers, donors and sponsors, and the Albay SULONG RH team... Dios Mabalos po saindo gabos!