ENTERTAINMENT
| February 6, 2019
 |
| (Image Source: BusinessWorld) |
A
book that aims to promote the awareness of HIV and give hope to those who are
HIV-positive will be adapted into a six-part mini-series and is slated to become
available on the Philippines' premiere online streaming service, ABS-CBN
Corporation's iWant.
Authored
by Palanca awardee Segundo Matias Jr., "Mga Batang Poz" is a literal
first-of-its-kind Filipino novel about four teenagers who have human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV). It headlines the struggles and challenges of these HIV-positive
teenagers which are part of those who are simply known as "poz" and
it should give readers much sense about the dangers of being one of them
considering that the Philippines has the fastest-growing HIV epidemic in the
Asia Pacific region according to the Department of Health (DOH) and majority of
these infections are reported to be among young people aged 15 to 24 as stated
last year by the Philippine National AIDS Council.
Upon
learning these figures, Matias felt like it was his responsibility to write the
novel that can benefit the Filipino youth since literature can gain a huge influence
on readers. He also stated that the book is not just about HIV awareness but hope
that anyone who has HIV can continue to live and dream and fight the stigma
within them as long as they get tested and are given the proper treatment. The digital-exclusive
adaptation of the book was made official through a contract signing which was
graced by the author, ABS-CBN Corporation chief operating officer for broadcast
Cory Vidanes, Dreamscape head Deo Endrinal, iWant's Elaine Uy-Casipit, and head
of finance for broadcast and news and current affairs Cat Lopez among others.
