Louie Mar Gangcuangco is a Filipino physician, HIV researcher and novelist.[1] He is the author of the novel Orosa-Nakpil, Malate and is working as Assistant Professor of Medicine for the Hawaii Center for AIDS-University of Hawai'i at Manoa.[2]
Gangcuangco's interest in infectious diseases inspired him at 18 years old, to write the novel, Orosa-Nakpil, Malate, which was published in March 2006. It is an anthropologic exposition of the mechanics of HIV transmission in the Philippine gay district of Malate, Manila.
Orosa-Nakpil is critically acclaimed for promoting HIV and AIDS awareness.[8] It was featured in the talk show Sharon in June 2006, in an episode aired internationally through The Filipino Channel. In August 2006, Gangcuangco was awarded the Y Idol Award (Youth Idol Award) by Studio 23’s Y Speak.[9][citation needed] Later that month, the Sentro ng Wikang Filipino conferred a Sertipiko ng Pagpapahalaga for Orosa-Nakpil, Malate.
Orosa-Nakpil, Malate became a National Book StoreBest Seller in April 2007.[citation needed] It has been featured in several publications, including the Generation Pink Magazine’s The Great Escape Issue; The Flame: The Official Liberal Journal of the Humanities of the University of Santo Tomas; Icon Magazine’s Career Issue; The Manila Collegian, The Nightmare Before Christmas Issue; and The Philippine Star’s My Favorite Book, Sunday Lifestyle.[10]
In 2008, Gangcuangco published his second book, Gee, My Grades Are Terrific: A Student’s Guide to Academic Excellence, a self-help book for students. The English version of Orosa-Nakpil, Malate was released in September 2009 and the second edition of Gee My Grades Are Terrific was published in August 2011. Gangcuangco is considered by Pinoy Panitikan as one of the most influential authors of the Philippines.[11]
HIV research
In 2010, Gangcuangco headed one of the largest HIV testing projects among men having sex with men in Metro Manila. The findings were presented at the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Austria[12] and were published at the Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health.[13] The study entitled, "Prevalence and risk factors for HIV infection among men having sex with men in Metro Manila, Philippines," stirred national debate and attracted media attention because of the high HIV infection rate found among the participants.[14]
