Philippines Country Snapshots

Typical of the pattern seen elsewhere in Asia, the epidemic in Philippines began with explosive growth of HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID); in Cebu, HIV prevalence in male PWID increased from 0.8% in 2005 to 52.4% in 2013. Recent surveillance indicates that HIV is spreading from Cebu to the neighbouring city of Mandaue, where prevalence has increased from 0% in 2009 to 42.3% in 2013 (IHBSS 2005 to 2013).

The MSM Country Snapshots is a new publication series that disseminates strategic information on HIV and men who have sex with men (MSM) in Asia and the Pacific.

The first HIV case in the Philippines was detected in 1984. By the end of 2010, 6,015 individuals reported to the Philippines HIV and AIDS Registry, with more than one-fourth of all new infections being detected in 2010.