The Philippines recorded 4,277 new HIV infections between October and December 2025, with the Department of Health’s latest data showing young adults and adolescents continuing to bear a disproportionate share of the epidemic’s burden.
Patients aged 15 to 34 accounted for the overwhelming majority of new infections during the quarter — those between 25 and 34 years old comprised 45 percent, or 1,929 cases, while those aged 15 to 24 made up 32 percent, or 1,361 cases. Fifteen patients were below 15 years of age.
Of the quarterly total, 4,038 were male and 239 were female.
The Q4 figure represents a drop from the 5,583 new cases logged from July to September 2025. During the October-to-December reporting window, daily new infections averaged 47. The DOH also recorded 1,069 patients with advanced HIV disease within the same period.
Cumulative national data now shows 163,454 total reported HIV cases since January 1984 through end of 2025.
Treatment response figures reveal persistent gaps. The country’s current 95-95-95 targets — a global benchmark measuring diagnosis, treatment coverage, and viral suppression — stand at 61 percent diagnosed, 66 percent on treatment, and 57 percent with suppressed viral load. The DOH reported that 4,760 clients were newly enrolled for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, or PrEP, during the quarter, indicating active demand for preventive intervention.
The broader trajectory remains a concern for health authorities. In December, the DOH described HIV as an “evolving” epidemic and warned that without intervention, cumulative cases could exceed 457,000 by 2030.
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa has been vocal about the acceleration of infections among young Filipinos. In June 2025, he cited a fivefold rise in cases among those aged 15 to 25, pointing to a case in Palawan as illustrative of how far the epidemic has reached.
“Five hundred percent increase po tayo ng HIV cases sa mga edad 15 hanggang 25. In fact, ang pinakabatang na-diagnose natin ay batang 12-anyos sa probinsiya ng Palawan,” Herbosa said.
The Philippines now holds the highest new case count in the Western Pacific Region, a distinction the health secretary has described with alarm. “Sa datos natin tayo na ang pinakamataas na new cases sa Western Pacific Region. Ang nakakatakot lang maraming new cases sa ating kabataan,” he added.
