People passing by downtown Baguio city were shocked upon seeing artists, nursing students and gender rights activists parading a 30-foot condom on their shoulders.

The colorful condom was the city's way of celebrating World AIDS Day, said Eden Divinagracia, executive director of the Philippine Non-Government Organization Council on Population Health and Welfare (PNGOC).

Artists Roger Bibal, Kawayan de Guia, Allan Manalastas and Kigao Rosimo were tasked with transforming felt paper and bamboo into a simulated condom.

The artists took to painting yellow and white "sperm" cells, and drew a smiling orange face on its tubular front end.

Pedestrians were dumbstruck on seeing the condom on the streets.

"I thought it was a very long bullet until I saw 'Safe Sex' painted [on the left section of the] condom. I could not stop giggling," a student told Inquirer.

Government doctors rallying for local reproductive health programs expressed reservations, even calling it an "outrageous march."

Dr. Cecilia Brillantes, administrator of the city's social hygiene clinic, said AIDS awareness advocates had already changed their advocacy from promoting condoms to getting funding AIDS patients.

"We admire the artists for constructing that large condom. But while we used to lobby for an ordinance that compels a 100 percent use of condoms in Baguio, we are now seeking a law that would create a trust fund to help AIDS victims," she said.