HIV Rising on ANC, DZMM TeleRadyo

Korina Sanchez-Roxas

(photo) is back with a documentary titled HIV Rising about the growing number of HIV cases in the country that will air tonight at 9 on DZMM TeleRadyo and on Dec. 17, at 8 p.m. on ANC.

Through the docu, which is produced by ABS-CBN DocuCentral and premiered last Dec. 9 on ABS-CBN, Korina takes on the HIV advocacy to spread information about HIV that can help lessen the stigma on HIV and AIDS, and ultimately stop the spread of the disease.

According to data from UNAIDS, the United Nations program on HIV and AIDS, the Philippines is one of nine countries with the highest rate of infections of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). In September 2018, the number of those who tested HIV positive reached 59,135. Out of that number, over 16,000 were children and young adults aged 15 to 24. HIV Rising tackles everything one needs to know about HIV and AIDS, how to avoid infection and spreading the disease, where and how to get proper treatment, and what the government is doing to help those infected and to educate Filipinos on the HIV. It also helps shed light on the lives of real people living with the disease by sharing their stories and firsthand accounts.

The documentary earned praise from netizens who lauded HIV Rising for bringing the issue of HIV to mainstream media so the public can be aware of the problem and help prevent it.

According to Korina, who had friends who died of AIDS, she realized while doing her master’s thesis on HIV that the rising numbers of Filipinos who live with and die of HIV and AIDS are due largely to the lack of awareness surrounding the sickness.