DOH logs more than 5,000 HIV cases from July to September
The Department of Health recorded 5,583 new HIV cases in the third quarter of 2025.
According to data from the HIV and AIDS Surveillance of the Philippines, the figure was 22% higher than the number of cases recorded during the same period in 2024.
Of these cases, 16% or 895 of the patients have advanced HIV at the time of diagnosis.
An average of 61 cases per day has also been recorded, compared to last year's 50 per day.
The National Capital Region had the highest number of HIV infections, followed by CALABARZON, Central Luzon, Central Visayas, and Davao region. Around 61% of the total cases recorded are from these regions.
Among the HIV cases reported, 5,299 or 95% are men compared to 5% or 282 cases in women. The age group with the most HIV cases is 25–34 years old, with an average age of 27.
Of the new cases, 87% or 4,879 cases were acquired HIV through sexual contact.
Furthermore, the DOH estimated 252,800 people living with HIV by the end of the year.
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and the World Health Organization are supporting the government's efforts for broader public education and increased funding on HIV. They have also called for the immediate signing of an Executive Order officially declaring HIV an urgent public health concern.
In 2021, UNAIDS set the 95–95–95 global target for HIV by 2030, wherein 95% of people with HIV know their status, 95% of those who know their status are on antiretroviral therapy, and 95% on ART achieve viral suppression.
However, in the country, 59% of the PLHIV have been diagnosed or laboratory-confirmed, 67% are currently on life-saving ART, while only 57% were virally suppressed on ART.
In June, DOH reported a 500% increase in HIV cases among individuals aged between 15 and 25 in the country.
Dec. 1 is known as World AIDS Day. Per the UNDP, year's goal is to achieve the #TripleTenTargets aimed to end stigma, discrimination, gender-based violence and inequalities, as well as punitive laws that block access to HIV prevention, treatment and care.
