Alarming Rise in HIV Among Filipino Youth Sparks Urgent Call for Action

HIV cases among young Filipinos are rising fast, and health experts are raising the alarm. According to the Department of Health (DOH), there's been a 500% surge in HIV cases among those aged 15 to 25 in recent years. Even more shocking, the youngest person diagnosed was just 12 years old, from Palawan.

This worrying trend has led the DOH to push for a national public health emergency declaration for HIV, hoping it would bring more attention, resources, and urgency to the issue. Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa made the call, pointing out that HIV, not Mpox, is currently the country’s more serious threat.

From January to March 2025 alone, the Philippines confirmed 5,101 new HIV cases. That’s an average of 57 cases a day, and it's significantly higher than the 3,409 reported during the same period last year. Right now, the country has over 148,000 recorded cases, and if this pattern continues, experts warn it could climb to 400,000.

What's most alarming is that the Philippines now ranks first in the Western Pacific Region for new HIV cases. Many of these are among the youth, a group that often struggles with access to protection and proper education about the virus. Activists like Kael Mata, who is both HIV-positive and a community organizer, stress the lack of support from many local government units (LGUs). He believes that declaring HIV a national emergency would push LGUs to take more serious action.

The rise is being linked to several factors, such as easier access to casual sex through social media and dating apps. But Mata says the core problem is a lack of sexual health education and judgment-free access to prevention tools. He pointed out that when young people go to health centers asking for condoms, they’re often questioned instead of being helped.

Aside from better education, access to HIV testing hubs and treatment must be improved. While services are available, including free testing and antiretroviral therapy even for minors without parental consent, many aren’t aware or feel discouraged from using them.

Health officials are reminding the public that HIV is not a death sentence. With proper treatment, it can be managed like other chronic conditions. In fact, PhilHealth offers a specific HIV package to support those undergoing treatment.

To help lower the number of new cases, the DOH encourages the public to:

• Get tested regularly (it's free and confidential),
• Practice safe sex using condoms and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP),
• Seek medical advice and continue antiretroviral therapy if diagnosed.

The fight against HIV is one that involves everyone. A coordinated, informed, and compassionate approach is what’s needed now more than ever.

Photo by Mufid Majnun on Unsplash