MORE than 455,000 anti-retroviral (ARV) bottles have already arrived in the Philippines and are set to be made available to Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV), according to the Department of Health (DOH).
In a social media post, the DOH reported that 455,188 bottles of Lamivudine+Tenofovir+Dolutegravir (LTD) have arrived and are set to be deployed across the country.
"These are expected to be distributed next week, following today's inspection," said the DOH.
During the inspection, the health department said the ARVs were checked to ensure they are safe, effective, and high-quality.
They were also checked if they are registered and compliant with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards, and are ready for distribution to PLHIVs.
DOH said the over 455,000 ARV bottles form the first tranche of what is expected to be 1.2 million ARV bottles procured by the agency.
The second and third tranches are expected to arrive between August and September, said the DOH.
Earlier, DOH disclosed that the supply of nearly 1.2 million bottles of TLD was awarded to PhilPharmawealth in March 2026.
Under the terms of the contract between DOH and PhilPharmawealth, the first tranche of 600,000 bottles was due for delivery in May 2026.
The supplier subsequently requested an extension of the delivery schedule, citing the crisis in the Middle East as the cause of the delay.
The commitment was to deliver the first tranche of ARV bottles by July 2026.
Based on the December 2025 data, PLHIVs that are undergoing ARV treatment are at 100,671. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)
