* The Cebu Provincial Board approved a resolution on July 6, 2026, urging the DOH 7 and the Integrated Provincial Health Office to strengthen monitoring and actions against rising HIV cases.
* The resolution cited 954 confirmed HIV cases across Cebu Island—including 319 in Cebu Province—with data showing 629 of the recorded cases were linked to male-to-male sexual transmission.
* In response, the DOH Central Visayas announced on July 17, 2026, the procurement of 979,200 tablets of the recommended first-line antiretroviral therapy, Tenofovir, Lamivudine, and Dolutegravir (TLD).
AMID the continued rise in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases, the Cebu Provincial Board (PB) has approved a resolution calling for stronger action and closer monitoring to help stop the spread of the infection.
The resolution, approved on July 6, 2026, was authored by PB Member Dason Lorenz Lagon. It urges the Department of Health (DOH) 7 and the Integrated Provincial Health Office (Ipho), the province’s primary healthcare agencies, to step up efforts to protect public health.
“There is a need to combat the ill-effects of the disease in order to ensure the general welfare of the public as enshrined under Republic Act 7160, or more commonly known as the Local Government Code of 1991,” the resolution reads.
954 cases in Cebu Island
The resolution cited 954 confirmed HIV cases across Cebu Island, based on data presented by medical experts from the Provincial Health Office. The figure includes cases recorded in the independent cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.
Meanwhile, Cebu Province has recorded 319 confirmed cases.
Data from the Provincial Health Office also showed that 629 of the recorded cases were linked to male-to-male sexual transmission.
According to a SunStar Cebu report published on July 18, Central Visayas remains one of the country’s high HIV-burden areas, based on the Department of Health Epidemiology Bureau’s HIV and Aids Surveillance of the Philippines report.
From January 1984 to March 2026, Central Visayas recorded 12,137 HIV cases, accounting for about seven percent of all infections reported nationwide.
Intervention
In response to the rising number of cases, the DOH Central Visayas Center for Health Development said in a public statement on Friday, July 17, that it had procured 979,200 tablets, equivalent to 32,640 bottles, of Tenofovir, Lamivudine and Dolutegravir (TLD).
The DOH 7 explained that TLD is the recommended first-line antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV. It is highly effective in suppressing a patient’s viral load and helps them achieve and maintain an undetectable status through consistent treatment.
The procurement and distribution of these tablets strengthen the province’s efforts to Provide accessible treatment for PLHIVs across the region. / VEEJAY CATADMAN, UP CEBU INTERN
