Talking about sex and health is still uncomfortable in many Filipino homes and classrooms. According to a leading infectious disease specialist, that silence comes at a cost. Speaking at a media orientation in Quezon City on Monday, October 26, Dr. Rosana Ditangco urged the country to build stronger, age-appropriate HIV prevention programs for Filipino youth, saying limited knowledge and limited access to condoms leave young people more vulnerable.
Ditangco is the chief of the Clinical Research Division at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) and president of the AIDS Society of the Philippines, which organized the briefing. Here is what she shared, and what she says needs to change.
Where the numbers stand
Ditangco explained that the Philippine situation is classified as an epidemic because of how quickly cases have risen compared with the baseline, not simply because of total counts. She noted that countries such as Thailand have far more cases overall.
Based on figures presented as of March 2026:
- An estimated 288,000 Filipinos are living with HIV, and only about 55 percent of them know their status.
- About 157,350 people have been diagnosed, and 108,367 of them (69 percent) are on antiretroviral therapy (ART).
- Of those on treatment who had a viral load test, 97 percent (59,540 people) achieved viral suppression, a sign that treatment works when people can access it.
- Only 57 percent of people on ART (61,413) had a viral load test.
Why young people are at the center
Ditangco cited estimates that people aged 15 to 24 could account for most new infections by 2030. She added that she was not certain whether the trend has already shifted, and suggested it may have increased.
Knowledge is one of the gaps. Only 17 percent of young people in the general population have comprehensive knowledge of HIV. The figure is 35 percent among men who have sex with men and transgender women, about 11 percent among female sex workers, and 42 percent among people who inject drugs.
Access is another. Among younger men who have sex with men and transgender women, 63 percent of those aged 15 to 17 had neither bought nor received condoms, as had 39 percent of those aged 18 to 24. In the older group, 33 percent received condoms only from friends. Older survey figures she presented showed condom use among men who have sex with men rising from 34 percent in 2013 to 40 percent in 2015, while use among people who inject drugs fell from 22 to 19 percent.
What she says should happen
Ditangco’s recommendations are practical, and most of them reach beyond the health department:
- Start education early. Offer age-appropriate sexuality education before young people become sexually active.
- Widen access to tools. Expand access to condoms and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication that prevents HIV infection.
- Share the responsibility. Schools, employers, local governments, and community organizations should help address the emotional, psychological, and social factors behind risky situations, with education, life skills, and accessible prevention services. HIV prevention, she said, should not rest only on the Department of Health.
- Make testing normal. Promote voluntary, confidential HIV testing with counseling and referrals to prevention or treatment, depending on the result.
- Look after mental health. Build mental health assessment and support into HIV prevention and treatment programs.
- Protect mothers and babies. Offer universal HIV testing for pregnant women so that early diagnosis and prompt treatment can prevent transmission to their babies.
What it means for families and young readers
The takeaway is less about fear and more about information. HIV is preventable and, with treatment, manageable. The figures above show that treatment works well for people who get it, but too many people do not know their status in the first place.
For parents, teachers, and older siblings, that can start with open, judgment-free conversations. For young adults, it can mean learning the facts from reliable sources and getting tested at a licensed clinic or health office, where results are handled confidentially. A little openness now, as the specialists argue, can protect a generation later.
Sources
- Philippine News Agency, “Expert calls for stronger HIV prevention programs for Filipino youth” (October 27, 2026)
