Nacionalista Party (NP) senatorial candidate Adel Tamano Tuesday urged the government to make condoms readily available especially to the poor, following alarming reports that there is a sharp increase in the number of reported Human Immuno Virus/Acquired Immunity Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) cases in the country especially in the 25-34 age group.

“Distributing condoms is all about health services, responsibility and protection. We don’t want to become like African countries with epidemics,” Tamano emphasized.

“Let’s not forget that combating HIV/AIDS is one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that we need to achieve by 2015. This is not a mere secondary task of the Philippine government. It is a primary task, it is something that the government promised the rest of the world to do,” Tamano explained.

He said that while it is true that the Philippines is facing so many challenges, “we should remain steadfast in achieving the MDGs. We owe it to our fellow Filipinos. The Philippines will be the laughing stock if we fail by 2015,” Tamano added.

MDGs are international development goals signed by and agreed upon by 192 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations to be achieved by the year 2015.

The eight goals are eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empowering women, reduce child mortality, improve maternal, health, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.