Photo courtesy: World Health Organization Philippines
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY(December 3) – Northern Mindanao marked World AIDS Day on Monday with a push not only for wider HIV testing but also for stronger protection of the rights of people living with HIV (PLHIV), as stigma continues to undermine access to care.
Regional health facilities offered free, confidential testing and community education drives, urging the public to treat HIV screening as routine.
“HIV testing should be as normal as checking your sugar or lipids—the only way to know your status is to get tested,” said Dr. Althea Louise Escobillo, Iligan City’s National AIDS and STI Prevention Control Program coordinator.
The Department of Health has tallied 4,008 HIV cases in Region 10 since 1991, with 178 new cases recorded from January to March this year.
For PLHIV advocates, the growing numbers highlight the need for a rights-based response.
“BenMark,” 34, has kept an undetectable viral load for six years through daily treatment, allowing him to build a family with his HIV-negative wife and child. His story, he says, is proof that “what harms us most is not the virus, but the fear and discrimination around it.”
Republic Act 11166, the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act, guarantees confidentiality and prohibits discrimination against PLHIV. Community groups, however, say consistent enforcement remains crucial to ensure people feel safe seeking testing and treatment.
Health workers across the region echoed the same message: ending HIV begins with ending stigma, and ensuring every person can access care without fear.
