The Philippine government is raising the alarm after the country recorded 4,633 new confirmed HIV cases in the first quarter of this year, with health officials warning that the epidemic is accelerating at a dangerous pace.
Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC) Executive Director Dr. Joselito Feliciano confirmed the figures during an interview on DZRH’s Special on Saturday on May 23, describing the surge as among the country’s most pressing health concerns.
“Opo, napakarami po nito at ang pagdami ng kaso, ‘yung percent increase sa atin ay sobrang taas,” Feliciano said.
The data shows that the epidemic is increasingly a youth crisis — 77% of new cases fall within the 15 to 34 age bracket, while those aged 15 to 24 account for 31% of all new infections recorded in the first quarter.
The surge is concentrated in the country’s most urbanized regions, with NCR, Region 3, Calabarzon, Region 7, and Region 11 leading in case counts, according to data from the Department of Health’s Epidemiology Bureau.
Male-to-male sexual contact remains the dominant mode of transmission among new cases, marking a significant shift from the early years of the epidemic when most diagnosed cases involved female sex workers.
Feliciano said the government has mobilized a whole-of-government response, with the Department of Education, National Youth Commission, Sangguniang Kabataan, DOLE, and the Civil Service Commission all participating in information campaigns to reduce stigma and expand awareness.
He urged the public to get tested at any of the nearly 200 government health facilities offering free and confidential HIV services nationwide, stressing that early diagnosis is the only gateway to treatment.
