The local government of Caloocan City has launched daily free human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing and counseling services as part of an expanded public health initiative to combat the rising number of infections among young people.

The services are available daily at the city’s two Social Hygiene Clinics — located at Caloocan City Hall South and the Brixton Health Center — as well as all local public health centers.

Mayor Dale Gonzalo Malapitan said the program aims to prioritize early detection to prevent HIV from progressing to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS.

“Before, having HIV was no joke because of the lack of information and medicine to stop its progression,” Malapitan said. “But today, an HIV diagnosis is no longer a death sentence. Effective medications now provide HIV-positive individuals the opportunity to live a normal life.”

The mayor stressed that all patient information will remain strictly confidential and maintained a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination against those seeking treatment.

The initiative comes as Department of Health data reveals a concentrated epidemic among the Filipino youth.

Between 2024 and 2025, approximately 80 percent of new HIV cases in the Philippines were found in individuals aged 15 to 34, with the highest impact seen in teenagers and those in their early 20s.

“It is vital that we bring knowledge about HIV and AIDS closer to our citizens so we can address it early and prevent it from worsening,” Malapitan said.