Gov’t urged: Uphold rights of people with HIV

The Philippine government must ensure that the rights of people living with HIV are respected and upheld, an international rights group said yesterday.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) backed HIV rights advocates’ statement that continuing discrimination and stigmatization of people with HIV in the Philippines was highlighted by the recent disclosure by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) that one of those arrested in their operation last Tuesday in Taguig City is HIV-positive.

“The incident is a sad reminder of how much more the Philippines needs to address the issue of HIV and those affected by it,” Carlos Conde of HRW said, noting that World AIDS Day will be observed today.

“The issue takes on more urgency given the Philippines has the fastest-growing HIV epidemic in the Asia-Pacific region, with new HIV cases per year jumping from 4,300 to 10,000 between 2010 and 2016. Most new infections – up to 83 percent – are among men and transgender women who have sex with men. In August, the government declared the epidemic as ‘national,’” Conde said.

In this context, the group said discrimination and stigma against people living with HIV serve as a double whammy.

“This is especially tragic because, as it is, the Philippine government has failed to implement proven prevention measures in responding to the HIV crisis. It still does not have a national condom promotion strategy. Safer sex education in schools is practically nonexistent,” HRW said.

HRW added President Duterte’s abusive “war on drugs” has pushed injecting drug users underground, a group especially at high risk of contracting HIV.

“Apart from violating privacy laws, the PDEA agents’ actions may stigmatize people living with HIV and men who have sex with men, threatening to put them on Duterte’s list of those ‘you cannot rehabilitate,’ which is used to justify his drug war. This sets back the fight against HIV in the Philippines,” Conde said.