National Emergency Looms as HIV Ravages Filipino Youth

The Department of Health (DOH) will recommend declaring a national public health emergency as the number of young Filipinos infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) surged by 500 percent between 2010 and 2023.

“There is a 500 percent increase in HIV cases among the 15 to 25 age group. The youngest recorded case is a 12-year-old from Palawan,” Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa revealed in a press briefing yesterday.

From January to March 2025, the DOH recorded a daily average of 57 new HIV cases, with a total of 5,101 confirmed cases—marking a 50 percent increase from the 3,409 cases reported during the same period last year.

“This is extremely alarming. If we fail to curb the spread, the number of people living with HIV could reach 400,000,” Herbosa warned.

According to the DOH, the Philippines now has the highest number of new HIV cases in the Western Pacific Region.

Herbosa emphasized the need for a “whole-of-society and whole-of-government” response to reverse the trend, stating that declaring a public health emergency would enable all sectors to collaborate more effectively.

The DOH is also pushing for wider access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) to help lower viral loads and reduce the risk of transmission. Herbosa reminded the public that HIV self-test kits are now available in drugstores nationwide.

Regions with the highest number of new HIV diagnoses include Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Davao, Western Visayas, and Central Visayas.

Herbosa concluded with a message of hope: “HIV is treatable, and AIDS should not be a death sentence. We must act now to protect our youth and save lives.”