AT FIRST glance, the numbers look like a statistic. But behind every figure is a person — often young, scared, and unsure of what comes next.
At the Kaambag Clinic, the HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) hub inside Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City, doctors and counselors see these stories unfold daily. Some are teenagers who never thought they could get HIV. Others are mothers anxious about passing the virus to their newborns. A few are men who simply wanted to feel loved and accepted — and now live with the lifelong weight of a diagnosis.
Dr. Kathleen Joyce “KitKat” Del Carmen, a pediatrician and HIV/Aids Core Team of Kaambag Clinic at VSMMC, said most of the diagnosed cases belong to the 15 to 34 year old age group.
“Although when we look at the most recent data, there is a much more significant increase among our youth, both below 15 years old and the 15-24 years old age groups with more than 300 percent increase within the past five years,” Del Carmen said during an interview with SunStar’s Vital Signs, a health and wellness weekly live program in collaboration with the Cebu Provincial Government.
A national emergency
By early 2025, the Department of Health (DOH) officially declared HIV a public health emergency, citing an explosive 500-percent increase in new infections and AIDS-related deaths over the past decade.
In 2023 alone, 26,700 new infections were reported nationwide — translating to roughly 50 new cases every day — along with 1,700 Aids-related deaths. Across the country, 153,798 total cases were logged as of June 2025.
While other nations have seen their HIV rates stabilize or fall, the Philippines is moving in the opposite direction. “Globally, HIV infections are decreasing. Here, they continue to rise,” Del Carmen shared.
Cebu’s rising rank
Central Visayas is among the country’s hardest-hit regions. By June 2025, it had 11,347 diagnosed cases — making it one of the top five regions in the country.
Region 7 ranked sixth in new infections in the first quarter of 2025 but climbed to fourth by the second quarter, with 367 new cases recorded between April and June — a sharp increase from the 225 recorded in earlier months.
At Kaambag alone, 1,210 individuals underwent testing from January to September 2025. Of those, 31 tested positive and were referred for treatment, while 50 individuals were started on Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) — a preventive medication for high-risk groups.
As of September 2025, 1,373 people are undergoing antiretroviral treatment (ART) at the clinic. Most are men (87 percent), with the highest number among those aged 25 to 49 years old.
Youth at risk
What worries health workers most is the growing number of young Filipinos being diagnosed.
In Cebu, doctors are now seeing positive cases among babies — some infected at birth. Even more alarming, the youngest sexually transmitted case involved a 15-year-old, with reports suggesting that first sexual experiences can start as early as 12 years old.
In the past five years, HIV cases among those below 15 years old and aged 15–24 have surged by more than 300 percent.
“Most of our newly diagnosed patients are between 15 and 34 years old. This tells us that our youth are getting infected younger and faster,” Del Carmen said.
Of all transmissions, 77 percent occur among men who have sex with men (MSM). Another 12 percent come from partners of key populations, six percent from people who inject drugs, and five percent from other causes.
The lifeline
While there is still no cure for HIV, the virus is now manageable with medication.
The current standard medication, the LTD regimen (Lamivudine, Tenofovir, Dolutegravir), is a single daily tablet with minimal side effects.
The government’s 2018 HIV Law also allows access to PrEP and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) for those 15 years old and above, giving sexually active youth more options to stay safe.
Central Visayas now has 20 HIV treatment hubs, with Kaambag serving as the DOH-accredited confirmatory testing center for the entire Visayas.
Stigma and silence
Still, stigma remains the hardest barrier to overcome. Del Carmen said during the interview it is the number one challenge for people to get tested for HIV.
For children born with HIV, the struggle is often psychological. Many grow up thinking their daily pills are just vitamins. By adolescence, they begin asking questions — “Why do I need to take this every day?” — and that’s when the truth must be revealed carefully, with the help of doctors, social workers, and psychologists.
For adults, the silence can be deadlier. Some refuse to get tested out of fear. Others hide their diagnosis, even from family members, and stop taking medication to avoid being “found out.”
“Stigma kills faster than the virus,” Del Carmen said. “People delay testing, they delay treatment, and by the time they come to us, it’s often late,” she added.
Signs of hope
Not all the numbers spell doom. Since 2021, the number of people diagnosed with advanced HIV disease has steadily declined, suggesting more infections are being caught early. In the second quarter of 2025 alone, 161 deaths were reported nationwide — 40 percent lower than in the same period the previous year.
This progress is crucial for meeting the UNAIDS/WHO 95-95-95 global targets by 2030: 95 percent of people living with HIV knowing their status; 95 percent of diagnosed individuals receiving treatment; and 95 percent of those treated achieving viral suppression.
As of June 2025, the Philippines is at 57-66-47 — far from ideal, but a step forward, Del Carmen said.
A call for awareness
Experts say the country’s fight against HIV won’t be won in hospitals alone. It requires early education, open conversation, and dismantling the shame that still surrounds testing and treatment.
Del Carmen stressed that HIV testing should be as normal as getting a complete blood count — routine, stigma-free, and part of standard health care.
For now, Cebu’s frontliners — doctors, counselors, and advocates at hubs like Kaambag — continue their work quietly, helping patients navigate life after diagnosis and preventing new infections before they begin.
Because every statistic begins with a person — and every person deserves a chance to live without fear. / MVG