Camille Naredo

A university student takes advantage of the Free HIV Testing Program being conducted by the local government of Quezon City as part of its HIV awareness and prevention campaign on September 13, 2019. Jire Carreon, ABS-CBN News/File

A university student takes advantage of the Free HIV Testing Program being conducted by the local government of Quezon City as part of its HIV awareness and prevention campaign on September 13, 2019. Data released by the Department of Health show that there are around 40 new cases of HIV in the country with 840 newly confirmed cases in April alone.
Jire Carreon, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Raphael Bosano

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174905058451820190913-free-hiv-test-jc-10.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A university student takes advantage of the Free HIV Testing Program being conducted by the local government of Quezon City as part of its HIV awareness and prevention campaign on September 13, 2019. Jire Carreon, ABS-CBN News/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A university student takes advantage of the Free HIV Testing Program being conducted by the local government of Quezon City as part of its HIV awareness and prevention campaign on September 13, 2019. <em>Jire Carreon, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — A huge bulk of new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in the country belong to younger age groups, particularly between 15 to 34 years old, data from the Department of Health (DOH) show. </p><p>Among the youngest HIV infections through sexual contact, reported by the DOH, is that of a 12-year old in Palawan.</p><p>Health Secretary Ted Herbosa on Wednesday admitted the urgent need to raise HIV-awareness among the youth, especially when it comes to testing — the most important step towards properly managing and controlling an HIV infection.</p><p>Testing is available for free in social hygiene clinics and is also given by some Civil Society Organizations. HIV counselors provide necessary information on HIV and why testing is important. Should an individual be reactive, he will undergo confirmatory testing, more counseling and the next essential step — antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.</p><p>ARVs, given for free to people living with HIV (PLHIV), are available in various clinics and hospitals in various parts of the country. These drugs help a patient manage infections and prevent it from severely affecting the immune system. When religiously taken, it also paves the way towards a PLHIV to become undetectable eventually making the virus untransmissible.</p><p>PLHIVs are recommended to undergo testing twice a year, with their ARVs refilled quarterly.</p><p>As of March 31, there are currently 175 treatment hubs and 124 primary HIV care facilities.</p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k97hOT-RAcwhgcBKwQk4qNeqw6z0hNVp/view">Department Circular 0219</a> provides a list of DOH-designated HIV treatment hubs and primary HIV care facilities in the country.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/6/4/ano-ang-hiv-at-paano-ito-naipapasa-at-maiiwasan-1425">ALAMIN: Ano ang HIV, paano ito naipapasa at maiiwasan</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>URGENT INTERVENTION NEEDED</strong></div><p>While government has yet to officially declare HIV as a national public health emergency, Herbosa assured the department will continue to work to improve public awareness.</p><p>“We have to act.We have to keep educating people. We have to keep testing people. We have to give ARVs to those that are living with HIV,” he said.</p><p>The health chief says the internet, while filled with necessary information on HIV prevention, also has its dark side.</p><p>“Marami din sa social media, mga orgy sessions, dating anonymously. They end up doing riskier behavior. Trabaho namin increase noise sa safe sex, single partners, abstinence, lalo yan mga adolescent, raging hormones yan e, you&#x27;re curious, lalo presence of social media, pornography, and many things.”</p><p>(There are a lot of other things on social media, orgy sessions, anonymous dating. Our job is to increase the noise on safe sex, single partners, abstinence especially for adolescents. That’s a period of raging hormones.)</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/6/3/doh-recommends-declaring-hiv-as-national-public-health-emergency-1353">READ: DOH recommends declaring HIV as national public health emergency</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>NOT JUST HIV</strong></div><p>Herbosa says it’s not just HIV that is seeing an increase in cases but also other types of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia and others.</p><p>“I think we have a generation that&#x27;s really very sexually active. We just hope that they can be taught what is safer practices and less risky behavior. Know the status of your partner so then you’d be able to protect yourself.”</p><p>This is precisely why health experts continue to advocate the use of condoms. Unlike pre-exposure prophylaxis (PreP) which only protects an individual from HIV, condoms have been proven effective to protect against other types of STIs.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/6/3/hiv-cases-in-ph-rise-by-500-among-ages-15-25-doh-0944">READ: HIV cases in PH rise by 500% among ages 15-25: DOH</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>95-95-95 TARGETS</strong></div><p>The United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) has set global targets of 95-95-95. The Philippines is among the countries which has committed to strive for these goals which hopes to see 95 percent of PLHIVs being tested and knowing their status; 95 percent of PLHIVs who know their status on ARV treatment; and 95 percent of those on treatment to have suppressed their viral load.</p><p>The current situation of the country, however, is at 55-66-40.</p><p>The UNAIDS target was set for 2025.</p>

<p>A huge bulk of new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in the country belong to younger age groups, particularly between 15 to 34 years old, data from the Department of Health (DOH) show. </p>

A huge bulk of new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in the country belong to younger age groups, particularly between 15 to 34 years old, data from the Department of Health (DOH) show.

Why HIV testing is encouraged among those engaged in risky behavior

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Why HIV testing is encouraged among those engaged in risky behavior

Raphael Bosano,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 04, 2025 11:23 PM PHT

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HIV

Department of Health

Secretary Ted Herbosa

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