For decades, the Philippines had dodged the global AIDS crisis. Things have changed, however. There is now a full-blown AIDS crisis in the country, as seen in the growing statistics. According to the latest data from the Philippine Department of Health’s Epidemiology Bureau, the number of individuals with HIV newly diagnosed per day rose to 22 last year, from just one in 2008, four in 2010, nine in 2012 and 17 in 2014. In just one month in 2015 (July), there were 682 new cases registered, 17 per cent more than the same month the previous year. Ninety-four per cent of them were male and the average age was 27. Half of the individuals diagnosed as HIV positive belong to the 25-to-34 year age group, while 30 per cent were youth aged 15 to 24. In terms of modes of transmission, the most common was sexual contact (663 cases), and eight per cent of the sexually transmitted cases were among males who have sex with males. The other modes of transmission were needle sharing among drug users (17 cases) and mother-to-child transmission (two cases). Tracing its beginnings in the Philippines, HIV infection in the country was first reported in 1984. Between January 1984 and July 2015, a total of 27,138 cases were reported, with the most dramatic increase in the number of cases happening in the past five years, according to the same government data. Eighty-four per cent (or 22,714) of the 27,138 diagnosed cases have been reported since January 2010. In the early years of the epidemic, from 1984 to 1990, 62 per cent (133 of 216 cases) were female. However, from 1991, more males were reported to be infected with HIV. Between 2010 and 2015, males comprised 95 per cent (21,601) of the reported 22,714 cases. As the years have progressed, individuals diagnosed HIV positive have increasingly come from the younger generation. ‘The age group with the biggest proportion of cases has become younger: from 2000 to 2004, it was 30 to 39 years; from 2005 to 2009, it was 25 to 34 years; and from 2010 to 2015, it was 20 to 29 years. Notably, the proportion of People Living with HIV in the 15-to-24 age group increased from 20 per cent in 2005-09 to 28 per cent in 2010-15,’ the latest Health Department report said..................... Read more here
In a poor country, with the Catholic church refusing birth control it will start to spread further afield in the heterosexual population and the consequences will be much worse because people won't be able to afford the lifelong treatment And it's also going to start making blood transfusions very risky in the Phils
I am not sure if it really is the Catholic churches fault. If you look at a lot of Filipino society it is a pretty liberal in many ways. People are not that shy and continually talk about sex. A Filipino can easily buy 5 condoms at any generic pharmacy for around 20 pesos. The problem lies with their attitude to taking protection seriously.
You're right of course, it is quite liberal, but the church does not help either. There's clearly a lot of sex occurring in the country and even devout followers often don't actually understand the teachings of the faith but I still think the church has an influence.
I agree the church still has an influence, however your average Filipino male will not wear a condom, as it will spoil his fun Even without the churches influence, i very much doubt they would take the initiative to use condoms and practice safer sex.
