Just how bad online chatting can get? Internet chat is supposed to be connecting with new and old friends, but somehow it gets out of hand and tend to be abused by young and adventurous people. Here’s a classic example of how a friendly(?) chat can cause a lifetime condition to a young man.

Luigi,19, Nursing student, replied to the naughty invitation on the Internet chatroom and ended up having intimate relation with his 20th chatmate. The steamy eyeball threatens to be his last as Argo — his latest cyber boy toy — has infected him with HIV.

Luigi says he started chatting on the Internet at 16, and has had intimate liaison with 20 chatmates.

“High school pa lang, exposed na ako sa kung saan-saang forum, discussion rooms sa Internet,” Luigi said, adding that even elementary students posed nude while chatting.

Luigi was only 16 when he lost his virginity to an elderly chatmate who forced him into intimate relation.

“Sa forum pa lang, may invititation na for orgies,” Luigi said.

Chatmates usually have sex eyeballs at parties, malls, movie houses, saunas and locker rooms of popular gyms in Metro Manila.

Luigi admits having joined orgies with straight and married men.

“Straight guys would prefer quick sex with homosexuals than women due to availability. Sa ngayon, ’di ka basta-basta makikipag-sex sa babae, mahirap… compare mo sa lalaki… Parang you know, for curiosity, for experience. Hindi kasi lahat ng oras available ang mga babae,” he said.

Luigi is considered the youngest among sexually-active individuals who got infected with HIV during the interview.

The National Epidemiology Center (NEC) of the Department of Health (NEC-DOH) reported hundreds of individuals infected with HIV through homosexual contact (or men who have sex with men).

The Philippine AIDS Registry tally showed more than 50 percent of cases are between 20 and 39 years old.

Luigi’s story hopes to drum up support from stakeholders to include reproductive health, sex education and the deadly consequences of irresponsible sex.

Luigi began posting HIV/AIDS information when he first tested negative for HIV in 2005.

“December pa lang, nagpu-post na ako ng information about HIV/AIDS/STI. Nag-increase ang awareness ko nang magpa-test ako,” he noted.

Luigi was glad to know that a number of forum members appreciate his effort to disclose such sensitive information about himself.

(The story was originally part of a series of articles published by People’s Tonight on June 28, 2006. Original title: Chatmate gave me HIV!)