President Rodrigo Duterte (left) and Sen. Risa Hontiveros. (File photos from Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros praised President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday for signing the HIV and AIDS Policy Act of 2018.
“I am happy that the measure was finally signed into law by the President. It is a great way to start the new year,” Hontiveros, principal author and co-sponsor of the measure, said in a statement.
The senator noted that the newly-signed law could be a modern policy to “curb the prevalence of HIV and AIDS cases” in the Philippines.
READ: Duterte signs HIV and AIDS Policy Act
Hontiveros noted that the law would allow affordable and accessible medical treatment through “updated health technologies” and would offer education on “prevention” and “de-stigmatization” of HIV.
“The law affirms a human rights-based, humane and scientific approach in addressing HIV and AIDS. It will protect the rights of persons living with HIV, afford accessible treatment through updated health technologies, and educate more people for prevention and de-stigmatization,” the senator said.
Hontiveros also said the law offered “hope” for future generations as she cited that the Philippines was the only country in Southeast Asia where the number of new HIV cases had increased by 170 percent among those aged 15 to 24.
The law provides young Filipinos with proper information that will protect them from the disease, Hontiveros explained.
In September 2018, the Department of Health recorded 954 cases of HIV in the Philippines, of which 24 deaths were reported. /atm