Manila: In observance of the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial (IACM) 2026, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) renewed its commitment to advancing awareness, inclusion, and sustained support for people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLHIV), alongside its continuing call for a more compassionate and HIV-responsive society.
According to Philippines News Agency, the observance, anchored on this year's theme 'Light the Legacy: Remember. Advance. Act. Keeping the Light Alive,' highlights the importance of honoring the lives lost to HIV and AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). "The DSWD remains committed to ensuring that persons living with HIV are supported not only through accessible social protection services but also through communities that uphold their dignity, rights, and well-being," DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said in a news release on Monday.
She emphasized that addressing HIV and AIDS requires sustained, holistic interventions that go beyond health-related needs and extend to psychosocial and socio-economic support for affected individuals and their families. In response to this need, the DSWD continues to implement the psychosocial care and support for PLHIV program.
For the first quarter of 2026, the DSWD has already served a total of 847 PLHIVs nationwide through its various assistance modalities, reflecting the Department's continued efforts to provide timely and responsive interventions to vulnerable sectors. Of the total number of clients served, 579 or 68 percent belonged to the 25-44 age group, followed by 150 or 18 percent from the 18-24 age group. Meanwhile, 710 or 84 percent of the beneficiaries are male, and 137 or 16 percent are female, consistent with national epidemiological data on HIV cases.
The majority of clients received medical assistance and psychosocial support services, alongside financial aid under the PLHIV grants through the Protective Services for Individuals and Families Community-Based Program and the DSWD's Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations. Only a limited number were referred to the DSWD's Sustainable Livelihood Program, reflecting the current focus on immediate and direct assistance.
"Through sustained interventions and stronger community awareness, we aim to help build an environment where stigma has no place," Dumlao said. Observed every third Sunday of May since 1983, the IACM is one of the world's longest-running grassroots movements dedicated to HIV awareness, remembrance, and advocacy. It serves as a platform for global solidarity, stigma reduction, and renewed commitment to addressing the HIV epidemic.
As part of the 2026 observance, the DSWD Central Office marked the occasion during its flag-raising ceremony on Monday, which included a moment of silence in honor of lives lost to HIV and AIDS and in solidarity with individuals and communities affected by the disease. Various DSWD field offices across the country likewise joined the observance through their own remembrance and awareness activities, reinforcing the Department's nationwide commitment to promoting inclusion and sustained support for PLHIV communities.
"Through the observance, the DSWD continues to uphold its mandate of strengthening public awareness and advancing a more inclusive, responsive, and compassionate society for all," Dumlao said.
