Most of the 5,101 newly reported HIV cases in the Philippines from January to March 2025 involved young adults and males, with sexual contact remaining the dominant mode of transmission, prompting Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Ted Herbosa to say that their behavior is “too risky.”
Data from the DOH HIV & AIDS Surveillance of the Philippines (HASP) showed that 95% of the new cases, or 4,849 individuals, were male, while only 252 cases involved females. “As of the first quarter of 2025, average monthly cases reached 1,700. This is 50% higher than the same period last year (1,136),” the HASP report stated.
The median age of new infections was 27, underscoring the virus growing prevalence among younger populations. Individuals aged 25 to 34 made up the largest portion at 47% (2,380 cases), followed by those aged 15 to 24, comprising 33% (1,686 cases). There were also 886 individuals aged 35 to 49, 115 aged 50 and above, and 30 children under 15.
In terms of gender identity, 68% of new cases identified as cisgender males, while 3% were transgender women. Less than 1% identified as transgender men or neither male nor female, and 1% fell under other identities.
Sexual contact accounted for 96% of the 148,831 cumulative HIV cases reported since 1984, with 89,198 transmissions through male-to-male sex, 33,823 through male-to-male/female sex, and 20,251 through male-to-female sex. Mother-to-child transmission, though uncommon, has shown a significant rise half of the total 401 cases reported since 2020 occurred within the past year.
Of the new cases, 64% were confirmed through Certified Rapid HIV Diagnostic Algorithm (rHIVda) laboratories, while 36% were verified by the National Reference Laboratory-San Lazaro Hospital/STD AIDS Cooperative Central Laboratory. Alarmingly, 22% of newly diagnosed individuals already had advanced HIV infection at the time of diagnosis up 12% from last year.
Herbosa emphasized that young people are driving the surge in new cases and warned of the dangers of interrupted treatment. ‘‘Those getting infected with HIV are very young. There is medicine for HIV, but if treatment is stopped, it can cause serious problems, so it’s crucial that we continue treatment without interruption,’’ he said.
Herbosa also highlighted a 564% rise in new HIV infections from 2010 to 2024, along with a 667% increase in AIDS-related deaths. As of this year, 9,439 people in the country have died from HIV-related complications. He noted that 58% of people living with HIV (PLHIV) are located in the National Capital Region, Region 4A, and Region 3.
The DOH meanwhile launched the Patient Appointment System (PAS), which allows PLHIV to schedule antiretroviral (ARV) medicine refills through their mobile phones or computers.
‘‘We are improving our health services, and the directive given to me by our president is to make you feel the reforms he is implementing,’’ Herbosa said.
He also stressed the importance of preventive measures such as condoms and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).
Meanwhile, House Deputy Majority Leader and former Health Secretary Janette Garin said that declaring a public health emergency for HIV is unnecessary. ‘‘We don’t need to declare a public health emergency. What is needed is access to medicines and constant public reminders. Declaring a health emergency won’t change the situation unless there is a need for additional funding or international collaboration,’ she explained.
Garin pointed out that the rise in reported cases is largely due to increased testing and public awareness. We expected the numbers to go up, not because there are more infections, but because more people are now being tested.
She emphasized that the focus should be on education, compassion, and removing the stigma surrounding HIV. No to stigma, no to discrimination. What we need is to protect each other so that infections no longer spread.
