By Jheruleene Anne Ramos
The United States’ decision to cut nearly all foreign aid, including funding for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), in January 2025 has begun to severely impact the Philippines as the country battles a surge in infections.
Ronivin “Vinn” Pagtakhan, founder of LoveYourself—a non-governmental organisation operating a network of free sexual health clinics—said last week that approximately eight to 10 community clinics that heavily depend on funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have been forced to pause operations, merge with larger clinics, or shift services online.
Pagtakhan added that the aid cut has led several local LGBTQ organisations to lay off staff and scale back programmes and campaigns, struggling to remain afloat, ABS-CBN News reported.
UNAIDS downsizing looms
In addition to affecting local health clinics and advocacy groups, the funding cut has forced the local office of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS)—the UN agency leading the global HIV/AIDS response—to downsize significantly.
Mara Queseda, executive director of the non-profit Action for Health Initiatives Inc, said UNAIDS plans to transition its Philippines office to a single-staff operation in the coming months, Inquirer.net reported.
In response, a petition dated June 9 urged UNAIDS to reconsider, warning that the cut comes at a critical time. “We cannot lose any more allies. Keep the UNAIDS country office in the Philippines fully functional,” the petition said.
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HIV cases on the rise
As of March, the Department of Health (DOH) reported 6,703 new HIV cases from January to April 2025—an average of 56 new infections per day—reflecting a 44 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024, and making the Philippines the fastest-growing HIV epidemic in the Western Pacific region.
The agency also observed a shift in the age profile of HIV cases, with the most affected group now aged 25 to 34, down from the previous peak among those aged 35 to 49, signalling a younger population at risk.
Alarmingly, cases among those aged 15 to 25 rose by 500 percent from 2010 to 2023. The youngest recorded case involved a 12-year-old boy in Palawan.
Call for declaration of public health emergency
In response to the worsening crisis, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa urged the government to declare a public health emergency for HIV to unlock additional funding and co-ordinate a stronger nationwide response.
UNAIDS Philippines Country Director Dr. Louie Ocampo supported the call, saying the move is long overdue and could help unify efforts across government agencies and local governments.
Herbosa also stressed the need to expand HIV testing, prevention and treatment, including the accessibility of self-testing kits.
He noted, however, that these efforts must be accompanied by public education campaigns to reduce stigma around HIV and promote safe sex practices.
Push for self-reliance
Meanwhile, HIV advocacy group Red Whistle called on the national government to prioritise HIV prevention in its budget and fill the gap left by the US withdrawal of funding.
Dr. Katerina Leyrita, medical director of the Sustained Health Initiatives of the Philippines, said the country must take steps to become “self-sufficient” and reduce its reliance on foreign aid, warning that similar funding cuts could happen again.
HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system by targeting cells that fight infection, which is most commonly transmitted through unprotected sex or contact with the bodily fluids of someone with HIV, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
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Geoffrey H. Latayan