I read some disturbing news recently that the Department of Health (DoH) reported 993 new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), affecting mostly the youth, in June 2018 across the country.

To date, there have been a total number of 56,275 confirmed cases reported to the HIV/AIDS and ART Registry in the Philippines which is the official record of the total number of laboratory confirmed HIV positive individuals in the country. The alarming rise in HIV and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) underscores the need for a comprehensive and updated legal framework addressing HIV and AIDS.

The good news is that the Senate has already passed on third and final reading its version of the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act that will update Republic Act 8504 or the Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998 to introduce newer evidence-based, human rights-informed and gender-transformative strategies to prevent and treat the epidemic. The House of Representatives, meanwhile, has passed its version, of which I was one of the principal authors, as early as December last year. The next step would be the formation of a bicameral conference committee from both chambers of Congress to reconcile differences in both versions of the bill after which it will be ratified so that President Rodrigo Duterte could sign it into law.

The Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act also provides for the establishment of policies and programs to prevent the spread of HIV and deliver treatment, care and support services to Filipinos living with HIV in accordance with evidence-based strategies and approaches that follow the principles of human rights, gender equality and meaningful participation of communities affected by the epidemic.

Moreover, the bill serves to strengthen the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Act given that the UHC covers preventive health services.

At the same time, the bill seeks to reduce the stigma of people living with HIV or AIDS. It strengthens the stigma reduction mechanisms of existing laws and guarantees that the country’s HIV and AIDS response is premised on the respect, recognition and promotion of human dignity. The bill mandates the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to integrate basic and age-appropriate instruction on the causes, modes of transmission, impacts of HIV infection and ways of preventing the spread of HIV and AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, human rights-based principles and information on treatment, care and support to promote stigma-reduction in relevant subjects taught in public and private learning institutions.

The proposed legislation will also streamline the Philippine National AIDS Council to properly implement the country’s response to the HIV and AIDS situation.

The council was first created under original Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998 to help prevent the spread of HIV. It shall be the central implementing, coordinating, advisory, planning and policy-making body for the Philippine National HIV and AIDS Plan.

It is tasked to develop and monitor the National HIV and AIDS Plan in collaboration with relevant government agencies and civil society organizations, as well as strengthen the collaboration between government agencies and civil society organizations involved in the implementation of the National HIV and AIDS Plan, including the delivery of HIV and AIDS related services.

With the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act nearly becoming law, we can look forward to a society that is empowered to prevent, not only the spread of the disease, but also the stigma that comes with it.