Mandatory HIV test against the law

DOH Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag earlier announced that the department is working out details for making HIV tests compulsory so as to prevent the spread of the disease.

However Republic Act 8504, or the Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998 does not allow compulsory HIV testing, adding that the government will not allow the implementation of any policy that goes against existing laws.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/05/18/14/palace-says-compulsory-hiv-test-against-law

Philippines HIV AIDS law

In 1998 the AIDS Prevention and Control Act (the AIDS Law) or Republic Act 8504 was passed and, over the years, became a model of legislation for other countries. HIV cases in the country were then a trickle of numbers recorded in the HIV Registry, the government’s official data handled by the Department of Health – one new infection every 7 days, mostly female sex workers and male overseas contract workers.

Fifteen years hence, the epidemic has taken a different profile. The July 2013 HIV registry listed 449 new cases, 90% consisting of males who have sex with males (MSM). Populations of injecting drug users contribute a huge spike of infections. The DOH now reports a staggering one Filipino newly infected every hour.

http://www.rappler.com/nation/39636-aids-law-ph-hiv-epidemic

CDO Journalists violated AIDS Law of the Philippines

Remember the issue of a male nurse who died of AIDS in Cagayan de Oro?  Journalists who reported this story are now in trouble.  Under Republic Act 8504 or the Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998, it states that a person with HIV is guaranteed the right to privacy.  In short, you are not supposed to give any information whatsoever about that person, even hints or clues to his identity.

Tingog CDO, a gay group advocating against HIV AIDS in Cagayan de Oro lodged a complaint against these media practitioners who in their radio station wanted to expose the name and whereabouts of the person. If you expose these people in public, it would put fear among people with HIV AIDS and prevent them from seeking help instead.

This situation only showed us that homosexuals in Cagayan de Oro and in the Philippines for that matter are tolerated but not totally accepted.  Someone even posted a comment in Sunstar website that Tingog CDO are mere faggots and these media practitioners should do their job in exposing these people.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan-de-oro/local-news/2012/04/13/2-journalists-found-violating-confidentiality-clause-216152