Benguet: The province of Benguet has institutionalized programs that will help in the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) campaign in the province, ensuring that locals are well-informed about the disease. Ordinance 392-2026, signed by Gov. Melchor Diclas on Tuesday, strengthens the province's efforts on sexually transmitted illnesses, HIV and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) prevention, voluntary and confidential testing, treatment and referral, community education, psychosocial support and protection against HIV-related discrimination.

According to Philippines News Agency, Diclas, a medical doctor by profession, emphasized the importance of the measure, stating, "The measure will focus more on prevention, especially with the Philippines continuing to record HIV cases." The ordinance also designates August 9 as Provincial Indigenous Peoples HIV Awareness Day, coinciding with National Indigenous Peoples Day, to promote HIV awareness and culturally responsive health interventions among indigenous communities in the province.

Under the ordinance, the Provincial Health Board will serve as the Provincial AIDS Council to oversee the province's response to sexually transmitted infections (STI), HIV, and AIDS, with support from a multisectoral technical working group. "It strengthens access to prevention, voluntary and confidential HIV testing, counseling, treatment, and care," the governor said.

The measure further aims to protect people living with HIV from discrimination and ensure the confidentiality of HIV-related information. Diclas mentioned that a provincial plan will be crafted upon full implementation of the program following publication, with appropriate funding to be allocated from the fiscal budget of the province.

The ordinance encourages municipalities to enhance their local HIV programs in alignment with Republic Act 11166, or the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act of 2018, and to collaborate with the Department of Health-Center for Health Development-Cordillera Administrative Region (DOH-CHD-CAR) and Project NAMNAMA (hope). Darwin Babon, regional HIV program coordinator of the DOH-CAR, noted in an earlier interview that 1,428 individuals have been diagnosed with the virus since AIDS monitoring started in 1984, with 79 of them having passed away.