The HIV Epidemic in the Philippines: A Growing Concern
The Philippines is experiencing a dramatic surge in HIV infections, with new cases rising from 4,400 in 2010 to 24,400 in 2022. Health specialists attribute this increase to a lack of sex education and the stigma associated with visiting an HIV clinic in a deeply religious country.
Darwin Tenoria, an HIV educator, was diagnosed with HIV when he was 27 years old and critically ill. He began treatment and eventually became an HIV educator to ensure people received critical information about sexual health. Tenoria believes the Philippines has the tools and knowledge to combat HIV, but stigma around sex and HIV means new infections continue to rise.
Experts are studying the new landscape to learn what has worked well and what innovative strategies might be useful in the new hotspots. In the Philippines, health officials have set up a testing clinic deep inside a mall parking garage for people who might shy away from entering an on-the-street HIV facility.
The Philippines is not alone in its struggle with HIV. In at least 28 countries, including Venezuela, Egypt, and the Philippines, new infections are ticking up. The progress in sub-Saharan Africa, where new infections and AIDS-related deaths have plummeted, stands in stark contrast to the situation in other regions.
Experts warn that nothing can be taken for granted with HIV. Today, some 30 million people are on treatment, but they need to stay on treatments for the rest of their lives. “HIV is a formidable adversary. It comes back and it comes back fast, if you don’t pay attention to it,” says Peter Sands, executive director of The Global Fund.
In the Philippines, outreach to young people is a challenge. Almost half of new HIV infections are in people under 24, and many of those at highest risk are too young to remember the days when HIV wrecked communities. Health officials and activists are trying new ways to reach this population, including a park-and-test clinic in a mall parking garage.
The clinic, which serves shopping malls, provides a discreet location for people to get tested. Clients can stay in their car the whole time and get test results within 20 minutes. If they are positive, they can get counseling, treatments, and refills – all in the privacy of the parking garage.
Local AIDS activist Ico Johnson wants to change the mindset that only LGBT folks are vulnerable to HIV. His nonprofit, Project Red Ribbon, focuses on medical care and advocacy for HIV-positive kids, who typically get the virus from their mothers. “That changes the perspective,” says Johnson. “Your kid can be affected. Anybody can be affected.”