Manila, June 5 -- Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa on Thursday said the Department of Health (DOH) is ramping up efforts to curb the alarming rise in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases in the country, as the agency pushes for a national public health emergency declaration and expands access to testing and treatment.

Speaking at a press briefing in Malacanang, Herbosa said the health department has intensified the distribution of free anti-retroviral drugs or ARVs to people living with HIV.

From January to March 2025, the Philippines recorded an average of 57 new HIV cases per day -a 500 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Most of the newly reported infections were among males, with 33 percent aged 15-24 and 47 ...