President of the General Assembly H.E. Dennis Francis

Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates,

The Philippines thanks the Secretary-General for his report on the path to ending AIDS - progress report on 2025 targets and solutions for the future. We note the report’s findings that successful responses to HIV have thrived through the engagement of multiple stakeholders and follow the principles of multilateralism, human rights and community and country leadership.

The Philippines, through the Philippine National AIDS Council, is committed to fulfill the goals under the UN Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and relevant political declarations. Our country is facing one of the fastest-growing HIV epidemics in the Western Pacific region and the Government is firmly resolved to address this.  

In his 2023 State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged the whole of Philippine society to exert efforts to suppress the alarming rise of HIV/AIDS. To stem the tide, the strategic plan is to ensure early diagnosis and treatment, and ample testing sites and medications.

Sustainable and equitable funding is needed to stem the rising numbers. We note the SG’s call for Member States to increase domestic and international donor allocations for the HIV response in middle-income countries and to ensure that the global financial system as outlined in Our Common Agenda improves global solidarity towards the achievement of the SDGs. We also note the need for equitable access to medicines, new HIV treatment and prevention products, and health technologies.

The Philippines HIV and AIDS Policy Act modernizes our approach to HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care, while also addressing the critical issues of stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV. The law integrated HIV services into our national health insurance program, consistent with the Universal Health Care Act.

 Aligned with the Global AIDS Strategy 2021-2026, our AIDS Medium Term Plan 2023 – 2028 utilizes a Life Cycle Approach to HIV and AIDS prevention and control including gender- and age-specific interventions. It also expanded the prevention and treatment coverage of young key populations to include young people at risk from age 10 to 24. It adopts a people-centred principle through differentiated service delivery across prevention, testing and diagnosis, treatment, and viral suppression stream of the HIV care cascade. Moreover, the plan involves civil society and community led organizations, and works across all sectors of society to achieve the 95-95-95 HIV Fast Track Goals by 2030.

Last year, the Philippines held the first HIV summit, seeking to foster collaboration in tackling the disease and confronting related discrimination pursuant to the Medium Term Plan and the five strategy pillars—to prevent, treat, protect, strengthen, and sustain.

Mr. President, the Philippines has a vision of zero new infection, zero discrimination, and zero AIDS-related death. To realize this, all stakeholders and partners, including community and civil society organizations, must act holistically–not just looking at health but also addressing its determinants to end the HIV epidemic.

We are also dedicated to protect the human rights of people living with HIV and eliminate stigma and discrimination in healthcare, employment, and broader societal contexts.

Thank you.