ILOILO City – Health advocates are raising the alarm over a surge in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections among young people in Iloilo, blaming not only behavioral risks but also the reluctance of many parents to support sex education and access to preventive tools like condoms and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
At a recent forum titled “HIV Town Hall: Talk to End the Epidemic” hosted by the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP) – Iloilo Chapter, experts warned that deep-seated misconceptions among parents are hindering efforts to contain the spread of the virus, especially among sexually active adolescents.
“We’ve seen that many parents still believe that talking to their children about protection, or giving them access to condoms, is like condoning or even encouraging early sexual activity,” said Dr. Lloyd Brendan Norella, country manager of Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc. (PSFI).
But the reality is different, he stressed.
“Our data, and our experience, tell us that some young people are already sexually active, and we can’t ignore that,” said Norella.
Data from the Department of Health (DOH) paints a concerning picture: Iloilo province has recorded 2,174 HIV cases from 1988 to March 2025 — the highest in the region and equivalent to 34 percent of the regional total.
In just the first quarter of 2025, 111 new infections were reported, including 40 in March alone, alongside 15 HIV-related deaths.
Iloilo City, meanwhile, has documented 1,694 cases over the same period.
Men who have sex with men (MSM) remain the most affected group, with 434 of the 771 male cases linked to male-to-male transmission, followed by 218 from bisexual activity and 139 from heterosexual contact.
The hardest-hit age groups are 25-34 years old (361 cases) and 15-24 years old (267 cases), underscoring the vulnerability of younger populations.
Norella highlighted a major cause: a gap between parental perception and youth realities. “We’re not normalizing sex at a young age,” he explained. “We’re responding to a reality. We must give young people options — and that includes education and access to protection. It’s about enabling them to make responsible choices if and when the time comes.”
He said many households continue to misinterpret the use of condoms.
“Condom use is still seen by some as a sign of promiscuity. They say, ‘These kids like sex, that’s why they have condoms.’ But what if a young person simply wants to protect themselves? That framing is what we need to shift — not just through the health sector but through schools, media, faith leaders, and the community,” Norella said.
According to him, the change must also include empowering parents with basic sexual health knowledge.
“We can’t expect parents to give sound advice on HIV prevention if they don’t know how a condom works or what PrEP is,” he said. “There must be education for parents, too. They are part of the solution.”
He noted that the Department of Education (DepEd) is working on updating its policies to expand reproductive health education nationwide.
“There have always been efforts to include sex education in schools, but the curriculum now needs to evolve. Today’s youth have access to gadgets, social media, and information their parents never had. We need to match that with updated education that reflects today’s reality,” Norella said.
He added that DOH is also developing new strategies that actively include parents in HIV prevention initiatives.
“We need to break the belief that sex education is corrupting. In truth, what’s corrupting is silence,” he said. “The child is never alone in this. The solution must involve parents, teachers, schools, peers, and health workers. We all have a role.”
Advocates at the town hall also called for a national executive order on HIV prevention to streamline interventions, institutionalize sex education, and ensure consistent access to HIV testing, treatment, and prevention tools.
“Would you rather that your child go into that situation without the knowledge or tools to protect themselves?” Norella asked. “Because in the end, what we want is not to encourage early sex, but to protect our children — when they need it the most.”/PN
