A NEW ordinance creating a province-wide, multi-sectoral council to strengthen HIV and Aids prevention and control has been approved, institutionalizing long-term efforts to curb the spread of the disease and improve access to care in Cebu.
The Provincial HIV/Aids Multi-Sectoral Council Ordinance was passed on third and final reading by the Cebu Provincial Board (PB) during its regular session on Monday, January 26, 2026.
The ordinance, authored by Board Member Stanley Caminero, formalizes a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (Aids) prevention, treatment, and support services across the province, while ensuring dedicated funding to sustain programs in the long term.
An initial budget of P1.145 million will be allocated from the Province’s Gender and Development Fund, with additional personnel and logistical support to be provided by the Provincial Health Office (PHO), according to Cebu Province’s Facebook post.
The ordinance will take effect 15 days after publication.
Data from the DOH show that Central Visayas has recorded a 500 percent increase in new HIV infections and Aids-related deaths over the past decade.
As of June 2025, the region logged 11,347 diagnosed HIV cases, placing it among the five regions nationwide with the highest number of infections.
Under the ordinance, the multi-sectoral council will serve as the province’s central advisory, planning, and policy-making body for HIV/Aids prevention and control.
Composition
The council will be chaired by Governor Pamela Baricuatro, with Caminero, who chairs the Committee on Public Health and Social Services, as vice chairperson.
Its membership includes representatives from the DOH and Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, the PHO, Provincial HIV/Aids coordinator, Provincial Public Health Division, Department of Education, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office.
Other agencies included are Department of the Interior and Local Government, Provincial Tourism Office, Provincial Information Office, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Association of Municipal Health Officers–Cebu Chapter, Provincial Budget Office, Provincial Legal Office, Office of the Provincial Secretary to the Sanggunian, the Provincial Sangguniang Kabataan Federation, and the League of Municipalities of the Philippines–Cebu.
Representatives from the Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu Inc., the Bar Owners Association, the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society–Cebu, the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases–Cebu, as well as non-government organizations Cebu Plus Association Inc. and Project Hope are also part of the council.
Functions
The council is tasked with crafting policies and strategies to prevent and control HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, providing care and support to people living with HIV/Aids, developing short-, medium-, and long-term action plans, and monitoring their implementation.
Additional functions include identifying gaps in local prevention efforts, conducting public education campaigns, coordinating annual surveillance among high-risk groups with the DOH and local social hygiene clinics, inspecting health facilities and blood banks for compliance with infection control standards, coordinating case monitoring with local health offices, and recommending legislation or sanctions for violations.
The council will meet at least once every quarter, or more frequently as needed, with a quorum requiring a majority of active members. (Jean Llaneta, BiPSU intern)