TACLOBAN CITY- In Eastern Visayas, the regional death toll due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) already marked 10 this 2025, three of whom died only this April. These HIV-related deaths is pushing the health department to make a shift in the fight against the virus through its healthcare access, testing, and education.
Despite significant advances in treatment and prevention, the death toll now reaches a total of 175 from 2001 up to the present according to the Department of Health Eastern Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH EVCHD) “We need to educate people about the importance of early testing and treatment. Stigma continues to be a massive barrier, and that’s a key reason why some people are only diagnosed after it’s too late,” says Antonietta Diloy, the DOH EVCHD HIV Program Coordinator.
A total of 141 new cases of HIV were recorded from January to April this year. The spikes in cases were noted in 2023 with 444 cases and in 2024 with 456 new cases. There are also 11 cases of infants acquiring the virus through mother to child transmission from 1989 to the present. Of the total diagnosed 2,652 HIV cases in the region, only 1,506 patients are on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) that helps to suppress the virus and prevent its progression.
As spread of HIV decreased in many parts of the world, the Philippines is one of the seven countries struggling to combat the increase of HIV epidemic. Eastern Visayas mirrors a similar national picture in the mode of transmission for the virus wherein most of the reported cases were predominantly caused by sexual contact among men-having-sex-with-men (MSM) with a total of 1,655 cases.
The health department is also sounding the alarm over the use of the social media and dating apps, particularly among the 25-34 year old population, which recorded the most number of HIV cases.
While these platforms have revolutionized how people connect, they have also inadvertently facilitated the spread of the virus by increasing the number of casual sexual encounters, making it harder to practice safe sex, and fostering a culture 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 HIV status is often hidden or not discussed openly.
The DOH has also noted risky behaviors such as unprotected sex and multiple sexual partners making its share in the spike of cases. Meanwhile in most parts, stigma surrounding HIV continues to prevent people from seeking testing and treatment. Fear of discrimination or social isolation is keeping people from visiting healthcare centers, leading to undiagnosed infections and delayed treatment.
According to Dr. Joey Julius Ty-Farma, the medical coordinator of the DOH8’s Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases (EREID) Program, the health department is taking several proactive steps to mitigate the spread of HIV such as promoting prevention and improving treatment options.
Among these many steps is increasing the availability and accessibility of HIV testing. The DOH has rolled out numerous free HIV testing programs to make it easier for people to get tested, with strict compliance to privacy and confidentiality. Testing is offered at health centers, mobile testing units, and in partnership with community organizations, and all are for free. The DOH has also encouraged routine testing, making it a routine part of healthcare, particularly in areas 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 the incidence of HIV is high. This helps identify new infections early, which is critical for effective treatment and reducing transmission.
Certain populations at higher risk for HIV transmission, such as the MSM (men sex with men) which represent a significant proportion of new HIV cases in the region, is also being targeted by the DOH for focused interventions on health education, HIV testing, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) distribution. PrEP is a medication regimen for HIV negative individuals to significantly reduce their risk of contracting HIV.