“AWARENESS,” answered Scholastic Dan V. Cancino, Jr., MI when Bishop Patricio H. Alo of the Diocese of Mati asked him what the Church can do to prevent the spread of HIV.

Dan, a doctor of public health by profession, talked on the theology of the ministry among the sick on the second day of the 1st National Episcopal Commission on Health Care Congress held last 21-23 April 2009 at the Lay Formation Center, San Carlos Seminary, Makati City. Organized by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ Episcopal Commission on Health Care, the seminar was attended by bishops, priests, religious and lay.

In his discussion, with a theology inspired by the story of the Good Samaritan, Dan emphasized the ministry to people living with HIV/AIDS.  He pointed out the importance of  competence, compassion, commitment and communion.   But in addition to this, he strongly stressed that by increasing our awareness of the real score about the illness – its magnitude and its biomedical facts – [as Church] we can eliminate the stigma our society inflicts on our sisters and brothers living with HIV/AIDS and, most importantly, contribute in stopping the spread of the virus.

Making good use of the opportunity, Dan also promoted the Pastoral Training on HIV/AIDS the Camillians conduct at our St. Camillus Pastoral Healthcare Center (where he is the program coordinator) in collaboration with UNAIDS, Department of Health (DOH), Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), Positive Action Foundation of the Philippines (PAFP) and other HIV/AIDS support groups and advocates.

“Spread the love, not the virus! Stop HIV/AIDS!” was Dan’s rallying call to the participants.