The Provincial Health Office (PHO) has confirmed that all local government units (LGUs) in the province, including Tagbilaran City, have recorded cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), raising alarm among residents over a sharp increase in infections.
Ma. Cristina Estomago, a PHO official, acknowledged the growing public health menace, noting that the spread of HIV has reached every municipality and the lone city in Bohol, leaving no area unaffected.
“Every town and the city already have cases logged,” she said, highlighting the pervasive nature of the issue in the province.
According to PHO data, 17 new HIV cases were recorded from January to March 2025.
The towns of Ubay, Panglao, Tubigon, Talibon, and Tagbilaran City reported the highest numbers.
Panglao, a top tourism hub, is the only municipality outside Tagbilaran City with an HIV treatment center, where diagnosed individuals receive antiretroviral therapy (ART), a lifelong treatment to manage the virus.
HIV, which can lead to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), weakens the immune system and may cause severe health complications or death if untreated.
The virus is primarily transmitted through unprotected sexual contact, sharing of needles, or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.
PHO is urging residents to exercise caution and avoid risky behaviors, stressing personal responsibility in preventing further spread.
“Each one is responsible for their own health,” Estomago said, calling for increased awareness and safer practices.
The rise in HIV cases in Bohol mirrors a health threat in the Philippines, where the Department of Health has reported one of the fastest-growing HIV epidemics in the Asia-Pacific region.
Limited access to testing and treatment in rural areas, coupled with stigma surrounding the disease, continues to hinder efforts to curb infections.
Health officials are intensifying outreach programs in Bohol to promote testing, provide counseling, and ensure access to treatment, particularly in underserved communities.
Bohol PHO has also appealed for public cooperation to address the growing health crisis.