Senate OKs bill strengthening country's fight against HIV/AIDS
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate has approved the proposed measure to strengthen Philippine policy on preventing the spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
Senate Bill 1390 or the “Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act” was approved on the third and final reading on Monday.
FINALLY, AN HIV LAW THAT WE NEED! #HIVPolicyNow
— risa hontiveros (@risahontiveros) May 21, 2018
This is an important victory in our fight to reverse the tide of the HIV-AIDS epidemic in the country. We now have a stronger and modern policy tool to appropriately respond to this problem.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, author of the bill, heralded the passage of the bill as “as an important victory in our fight to reverse the tide of the HIV-AIDS epidemic in the country.”
“We now have a stronger and modern policy tool to appropriately respond to this problem,” she added in a tweet.
Sens. Loren Legarda, Antonio Trillanes IV, Sonny Angara, Grace Poe and Nancy Binay are co-authors of the bill.
The bill institutionalizes an HIV and AIDS prevention program in academic institution and workplaces, as “part of the constitutional right to health.”
It also mandates the government to promote voluntary testing.
A person aged 15 shall be entitled to access HIV testing and counselling, without the need of consent from a parent or guarding. A person aged below 15 who is pregnant or engaged in “high-risk behavior” may be assisted by a licensed social worker and be eligible for HIV testing.
Under the bill, an HIV test will be compulsory when:
- A person is charged with a violation of the Anti-Rape Law of 1997
- A relevant issue under the Family Code of the Philippines is needed to be resolved
- A person wants to donate blood or organ
The state will also shoulder treatment of indigents living with HIV who are enrolled under the program.
“Persons living with HIV shall not be deprived of any employment, livelihood, micro-finance, self-help and cooperative programs by reason of the HIV status,” the Senate bill reads.
It also seeks to penalize discriminatory acts against persons infected with HIV AIDS virus.
A report by the Department of Health released on February this year said that there were a total of 11,103 cases in 2017. Since the DOH started documenting infections in 1984, there have been 50,725 cases in the country.
READ: HIV/AIDS cases in Philippines continue to rise
The House of Representatives, in December last year, approved House Bill 6617, which has the same title as its Senate counterpart.
Among the authors of the measures consolidated into the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act are Reps. Angelina Tan (Quezon), Kaka Bag-ao (Dinagat Islands), Karlo Nograles (Davao City), and Harry Roque Jr. (Kabayan party-list)—now presidential spokesperson.
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