‘HOOK UP’: HIV/AIDS conversations through theater
The Cebu-based pop musical, written and directed by Jude Gitamondoc, returns in June 2026 with a story centered on hookup culture, online dating, stigma and HIV/AIDS awareness.
A dramatic confrontation unfolds onstage in 'Hook Up.'
“HIV does not always have to be depressing.”
As the Philippines faces what the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS) describe as the “fastest-growing HIV surge in the Asia-Pacific region,” HOOK UP The Musical uses theater to open conversations on HIV/AIDS, stigma, sexuality and human connection.
The 2025 Cebu-based pop musical, written and directed by Jude Gitamondoc, returns in June 2026 with a story centered on hookup culture, online dating, stigma and HIV/AIDS awareness.
According to WHO, at least 57 Filipinos are diagnosed with HIV infection every day, while new infections in the country have risen by 550 percent from 2010 to 2024.
PERFORMERS share an intimate moment from 'Hook Up.'
Medical community response
For Gitamondoc, one of the most unexpected responses came from the medical community itself.
“The most surprising reaction was from the doctors who watched the show during our preview and Capitol performances,” he told the DAILY TRIBUNE. “It was overwhelming because they gave us their full support after seeing that we were really bringing these issues into the conversation in an entertaining way.”
ACTORS strike a pose during a key moment in the show.
One doctor, he recalled, even told him the musical was “better than having a lecture.”
“It’s one of the best ways to start conversations through entertainment and humor,” Gitamondoc said. “The discussion about HIV does not always have to be depressing. We wanted it to feel open and welcoming to everyone,” he shared at a recent online press conference.
Beyond gender
Cast member Alem Garcia, who plays one of the musical’s central queer characters dealing with intimacy and identity, said the production deliberately pushes beyond gender and instead confronts the realities surrounding HIV/AIDS and sexuality in the Philippines.
“One thing we really want to normalize is talking about HIV/AIDS,” Garcia said. “Even within the community, there are still so many misconceptions. Some people still think an HIV diagnosis automatically means death, when in reality there are already treatments and combination therapies available.”
