The Spike In HIV Cases In The Philippines Reaches 500 Percent, Children Become New Victims

JAKARTA The Philippines is now facing a very worrying health crisis. In more than a decade, cases of HIV infection jumped sharply to reach an increase of 543 percent since 2010.

This makes it the fastest growing HIV case country in Asia-Pacific, according to a report by the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

If most countries in the region experience a decline, such as Bangladesh with an increase of 20 percent and Papua New Guinea 104 percent, the Philippines has recorded a more than five-fold increase.

As of March 2025, more than 139,610 Filipinos live with HIV, and the government estimates that the number could increase to 252,000 before the end of the year.

The most surprising thing is the significant increase in HIV cases among children and adolescents. Philippine Health Minister, Dr. Teodoro Herbiosa said that this age shift trend is a danger signal that should not be ignored.

"A decade ago, most of the new cases were found at the age of 25 to 34. Now, nearly 50 percent of patients are only between 15 and 24 years old. That's the most worrying part," said Dr. Herbiosa, quoted from the page The Straits Times.

This year, a 12-year-old child in Palawan Province became the youngest recorded HIV patient. According to Herbiosa, this case is strongly suspected of being associated with sexual violence, and reflects the practice of sexual exploitation of children, including those committed by foreign actors in poor areas.

Dr. Herbiosa also mentioned that most Filipinos currently access pornography very easily, but are not equipped with adequate sex education. As a result, they are prone to having sex without safety and do not understand the risk of HIV transmission.

"There is a spa like a place of prostitution. There is sex without using condoms. I even find sex parties involving drugs. When combined with lack of sex education and easy access to pornography, this is an explosion of cases," explains Herbiosa.

Although the government has introduced sex education in the curriculum since 2017, its implementation is still minimal and is often hampered by pressure from conservative religious groups.

The Philippines actually passed the HIV and Aids Law in 2018, which reduced the legal age for HIV tests from 18 to 15 years. However, although testing and treatment services are now wider, many teenage patients are reluctant to seek treatment for fear of being caught by their parents.

"They don't want their parents to know, so they refuse treatment. They just came back three years later in advanced HIV or AIDS conditions," Herbiosa said.

In addition, the level of HIV tests in risky populations such as men having sex with men is still relatively low. Only 59 percent underwent tests, and of those detected positive, only 44 percent underwent ARV (anti-retroviral) therapy.

Herbiosa appealed to the public to be aware of the importance of routine tests and using PRE-Exposure Prophylaxis, which is a drug that can prevent HIV infection if consumed before exposure.

"If you are still young, you should be absurd. But if you can't, at least use safety or know your partner's status. Use modern protection methods like PREP," he said.

Another problem that exacerbates the spread of HIV is social stigma. Many people are afraid of getting caught with HIV and are reluctant to access health services. Poor sex education also causes many teenagers to not be able to distinguish whether they are being manipulated or sexually exploited.

"Studies prove comprehensive sex education actually makes teenagers wiser, know when they are manipulated or harassed. In fact, it tends to make them delay sexual intercourse." said Dr. Deano Reyes, a gender specialist and sexual health.