Health office: HIV cases recorded in every municipality, city of Bohol

The red ribbon is a recognized symbol for HIV and AIDS awareness used in campaigns to support people living with the disease. This photo was taken during an AIDS awareness campaign in Taguig City in December 2018. Marianne Bermudez

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — The Bohol Provincial Health Office (PHO) has confirmed that all local governments in Bohol — including the capital city of Tagbilaran — have recorded cases of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), raising public concern over the rising number of infections across the province.

Ma. Cristina Estomago, a PHO official, acknowledged the growing health threat, saying that the spread of HIV has reached every municipality and the lone city in Bohol.

“Every town and the city already have cases,” she said.

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From January to March 2025, the PHO recorded 17 new HIV cases.

The municipalities of Ubay, Panglao, Tubigon, Talibon, and Tagbilaran City reported the highest numbers.

Panglao — one of Bohol’s leading tourist destinations — is the only municipality outside the provincial capital with an HIV treatment center where individuals diagnosed with the virus can access antiretroviral therapy, a lifelong treatment aimed at controlling the infection and preventing its progression.

Health authorities said that HIV, if left untreated, can lead to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), a condition that severely weakens the immune system and can result in serious health complications or death.

Health authorities continue to urge the public to practice safe and responsible health behaviors, undergo regular testing, and seek early treatment to help curb the spread of the virus in the province. /mr