Marilyn Cahatol

Students at a university in Quezon City take advatage of the Free HIV Testing program being conducted by the local government health staff as part of the HIV prevention and awareness campaign being done during Pride Month offering and celebrations. Students voluntarily undergo counselling and then proceed to the testing area.  September 13, 2019

Article (news)

Job Manahan

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/175134148915320190913-free-hiv-test-jc-10.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><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 Sept. 13, 2019. <em>Jire Carreon, ABS-CBN News/File </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (UPDATED) — The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), in partnership with advocacy group LoveYourself Inc., now offers free mental health services and testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) for overseas Filipino workers.</p><div><br/></div><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px;text-align:center"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:600px;display:block;flex-grow:1" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1939874472942870744&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring&amp;sessionId=74254f3b6024bc2820b6903bcd4d91e7fa8e309b&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" data-tweet-id="1939874472942870744"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><div><br/></div><p>The services are available in the OWWA Seafarer’s Hub in Malate, Manila, and LoveYourself clinics. </p><p>OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan and Love Yourself Inc. signed the memorandum of understanding on Tuesday which opens counseling and other services to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) struggling with mental health and those who seek HIV testing.</p><p>Pia Wurtzbach, as the ambassador of OWWA and Love Yourself, was also present.</p><p>HIV testing and prevention will be exclusive to seafarers and OFWs in the Love Yourself clinic in Kapitolyo, Pasig from Mondays and Tuesdays, while mental health counseling is available in the OWWA Seafarer’s Hub in Ermita, Manila daily.</p><p>“Basically we have launched the newest virtual hub of Love Yourself, it’s called Embrace Virtual hub—combination of prevention, HIV testing, treatment, exposure prophylaxis, STI, and mental health interventions,” said Ronivin Pagtakhan, founder of Love Yourself Inc.</p><p>“Magpu-put up kami ng virtual clinic here (OWWA Seafarer’s Hub) as a satellite. That will be available every day as long as open itong OWWA Seafarer’s Hub. On another end, there will be OFWs na not necessarily HIV testing or sexual health testing or treatment, for that matter, ino-offer ng Love Yourself yung bago nating clinic sa Kapitolyo,” Pagtakhan added.</p><p>For her part, Wurtzbach said condoms and lubes, self-test kits, and other services would be available to OFWs and even seafarers “anytime of the week” to any Love Yourself clinics.  </p><p>For Caunan, this is more than just a program, but this is talking about the taboo topics for many OFWs—mental health and sexual diseases prevention.</p><p>“Ito ay para ma-ensure ang kanilang mental health at gusto naming gamitin ang hub para doon sa ating financial literacy training programs… at HIV, mental health, hindi yan lagi pinag-uusapan. Lalo na sa OFWs at seafarers. Siyempre ang imahe nila, strong dahil mga breadwinners yang mga yan,” said the OWWA administrator.</p><p>“Pasalamat kami talaga dahil may ganitong serbisyo for seafarers and yung mabubuting puso… libre ang ganitong serbisyo, nagpapasalamat kami sa OWWA,” she said.</p><p>Pagtakhan said 103 of 500 cases detected in recent days came from OFWs, which was why he stressed the importance of the program.</p><p>Last month, the Department of Health urged authorities to make HIV a national public health emergency, following the 500% increase in cases for individuals aged 15 to 25. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/6/30/doh-targets-reducing-12-24-hour-wait-times-in-public-hospital-emergency-rooms-1804">DOH recommends declaring HIV as national public health emergency</a></div><p>At present, the predominant age group infected by HIV remains the 25-34 age group. </p><p>The Philippines logged a total of 215,00 individuals living with HIV in 2024. </p><p>Early this year, the United States cut off the financial aid provided to the Philippines for combating HIV, and other illnesses, leaving some clinics in limbo due to lack of resources.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/6/7/us-aid-cut-to-philippines-hiv-programs-leaves-some-clinics-in-limbo-as-cases-soar-0805">US aid cut to Philippines&#x27; HIV programs leaves some clinics in limbo as cases soar</a></div><p>Aside from HIV testing and mental health services, LoveYourself also offers free counseling, condoms, lubricants and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ivG4SYOlp5M?si=OIp05eiVRPi2n_Nj" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), in partnership with advocacy group LoveYourself Inc., now offers free mental health services and testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) for overseas Filipino workers.</p>

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), in partnership with advocacy group LoveYourself Inc., now offers free mental health services and testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) for overseas Filipino workers.

Free mental health services, HIV testing available for OFWs

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Free mental health services, HIV testing available for OFWs

Marilyn Cahatol,

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 01, 2025 11:59 AM PHT

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Updated July 01, 2025 05:49 PM PHT

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OWWA

LoveYourself

HIV

Mental health

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