THE internet is a powerful entity in the sense that it gives you access to any information you may need. With no effective means to fully regulate it, you have access to both useful and harmful information.
This access to information has allowed many young people to be exposed early to sex. While sex is a natural thing to reproduce, young people do not immediately get the "educational type" of information on sex.
Hence, the understandable concern of health advocates over the increasing number of young people contracting HIV/Aids.
Data from Davao City's Reproductive Health and Wellness Center (RHWC) showed that from January to September this year, a total of 204 HIV/Aids cases have been recorded involving 15 to 24-year-olds, which is the youngest recorded age group. It is only next to the 25 to 34-year-olds group, which has the highest number of HIV/Aids cases at 300.
“Isa sa atong mga problema kay unsaon nato sila pag stop sa pag access sa social media kay dili man gyod nato mabantayan ilang mga gina-check sa internet (One of our main problem is how to stop or regulate their activity online but we all know that is difficult to do),” Patrick Daison Albit, regional coordinator of the Global Fund Philippine Shell Foundation Inc. (PSFI) - HIV Program, said.
He added what is dangerous about this is many of these young people are uninformed about sex. Therefore, they are at risk of doing unsafe, unprotected sex.
While efforts have been made to educate young people about sex and the dos and don’ts, it may not be enough to protect them.
Thus, the family unit also plays a crucial part in educating their children about sex and its consequences of it. In tandem with the education and health sector, another layer of protection can be put in place to prevent young people from contracting HIV/Aids.
With the wealth of information on the internet, it is also important we put forward the right information about safe and protected sex. This is not only something the health sector must do. It is a holistic approach involving the whole community whose goal is to protect young people from HIV/Aids and other reproductive health diseases.