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by Ronald Bugarin (Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/aidsgov/3008911718/in/photostream/ ) On 20 December 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law Republic Act (RA) No. 11166 otherwise known as the “Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act” which repeals RA No. 8504 or the “Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998.” Among the revisions made in the new law is that minors aged 15 to below 18 years old can now be tested for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) without parental  / guardian consent. Under Article IV, Section 29 of the new law, “ If the person is fifteen (15) to below eighteen (18) years of age, consent to voluntary HIV testing shall be obtained from the child without the need of consent from a parent or guardian.” It also states that “any young person aged below fifteen (15) who is pregnant or engaged in high-risk behavior shall be eligible for HIV testing and counseling with the assistance of a licensed social worker or health worker. Consent to volu...

By Kris Tangco The HIV crisis has gone on for four decades, and for four decades the world has struggled against it. Doctors, scientists, educators, policy makers, writers, artists – people of all walks and all colors have, in their own ways, sought to make sense of this crisis and its relationship with society. From citizens to states, from medicine to prayer, from cures to cries for reform, people’s visions of how to respond to the crisis are as diverse as the people who bear its scars. The goal of this series is to give you a glimpse of these visions: the roles people of different passions and disciplines have played in this crisis that, as of February 2017 as recorded by the Department of Health’s Epidemiology Bureau, is infecting 28 Filipinos daily. Along with rising rates of HIV infection is the rising numbers of young Filipinos who are living with the virus - the latest HARP data shows that 28% of HIV cases were detected in people aged 15-24 years old. From 2006-2010, this par...

By Watson Vergara Everyone has talked about a particular status in his or her life, be it their relationship status, their financial status, and heck people talk about their problems on their Facebook status all the time! But one thing that’s rarely talked about is one’s HIV status. Despite its relevance today it is still greatly stigmatized and has been thought of as taboo by many. This monthly column aims to help facilitate discussion on issues surrounding HIV testing and living with HIV. According to the HIV/AIDS and ART Registry of the Philippines’ (HARP) January 2017 report , 27% of people living with HIV (PLHIV) are among 15 to 22 years old or the youth. This calls for proactivity among the youth to practice   safe sex and to get tested for HIV after three months of possible exposure. Instead of an article about the youth and their sexual health, here is a piece about the youth from the perspective of their parents. But before we dwell into that, let’s talk more about the ...

By Aaron Philip dela Cruz The Philippines participated in commemorating The World AIDS Day 2016 event last Thursday, 1 December. In the Quezon City Memorial Circle, several non-government organizations along with directives from the Department of Health (DOH), Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS(UNAIDS), and the World Health Organization (WHO) joined together to lead the advocacy of promoting sexual health awareness and ending the stigma that still looms around HIV/ AIDS today. The event was interactive in nature as participants were given free food and T-shirts they could wear for the event. Participants can also write down their sentiments and support for the cause on a white freedom wall near the entrance. Upon registration, people are each given passports containing a list of the participating organizations in which people were urged to visit all of the booths where they may receive collectible stamps for their passports as they go over a number of interactive games and info...