Manila: Senator Loren Legarda has expressed her support for the Department of Health's (DOH) call to declare a national public health emergency due to a significant rise in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases in the Philippines. This decision follows alarming reports of a 500 percent increase in HIV cases among Filipinos aged 15 to 25 during the first quarter of the year.

According to Philippines News Agency, the latest HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report indicates that there have been 148,831 HIV cases recorded nationwide from 1984 up until March this year. The first quarter of the current year alone saw 5,101 cases, a substantial increase from the 3,409 cases reported in the same period last year. On average, 57 HIV cases were reported daily, compared to 37 daily cases last year.

One of the recent cases involves a 12-year-old girl from Palawan, marking her as the youngest confirmed case in the region, who contracted the virus through sexual transmission. Senator Legarda highlighted that this situation reflects a critical public health and social crisis, underscoring the vulnerability of children and adolescents. She emphasized the urgent need for targeted interventions that are both compassionate and effective.

Senator Legarda called for the expansion of access to free and confidential testing, the strengthening of awareness and education, and the development of a more responsive health system to support prevention, treatment, and care efforts.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian also voiced concern over the reported surge in HIV infections among young Filipinos, labeling it a public health emergency that demands immediate government action. He pointed out that this situation serves as a wake-up call about the dangers facing the youth. Gatchalian urged the Department of Education to address gaps in its 2018 policy on reproductive health education and ensure its proper implementation. He also stressed the importance of engaging parents and reinforcing values formation through existing educational programs.