The Department of Health (DOH) has urged the government to declare a national public health emergency due to a rapid increase in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases among Filipinos between 15 and 25.
In a Radyo Pilipinas interview, DOH Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa said that 57 new cases were reported every day on average this year, a “500 percent increase.” This is based on an earlier report by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), which stated that between 2010 to 2023, HIV cases in the Philippines rose by 534 percent.
Herbosa emphasized that declaring a national health emergency would allow government agencies to cooperate on lowering the number of cases in the country. “The whole of society, the whole of government can help us in this campaign na mapababa ang new cases of HIV,” he said.
2010 saw 1,542 new HIV cases, but in 2024, the number climbed to a record high of 17,514, according to the HIV/AIDS and Antiretroviral Therapy Registry of the Philippines (HARP). ABS-CBN News reports that in total, 214,000 individuals lived with HIV in 2024.
The alarming increase in new infections in the Philippines contrasts with the downward trend of new HIV cases globally. According to UNAIDS, new HIV cases decreased by 39 percent between 2010 and 2023.
“Ang HIV ngayon nagagamot na, basta ma-test ka at mabigyan ka ng tinatawag na antiretroviral [therapy] (ART),” Herbosa said. He added that ART is covered by PhilHealth insurance.
In January 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a freeze on foreign aid programs, including the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which sought to support HIV prevention and treatment efforts across the globe, including the Philippines. The freeze was also expected to affect trans and sexual health support organizations like Transmasc PH and LoveYourself, but both have been able to continue operations. Specifically, LoveYourself continues to provide services for HIV prevention and treatment.
In late May 2025, Trump moved to cut funding for HIV vaccine research.
