Duterte signs HIV-AIDS law, says Go
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Wed, 09 Jan 2019 04:49:21 +0000
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte signed into law a bill which seeks to reform the country’s 20-year-old legal framework on addressing Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS), according to the Chief Executive’s former top aide on Wednesday.
Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, who is running for senator in the May elections, said in a statement in Filipino to reporters on Wednesday, that the President sympathized with the people.
“He knows the dangers that this illness brings that’s why the government has come up with appropriate measures to protect Filipinos and to show empathy with the sick,” said Go.
“It is but proper that we address the fight against HIV/AIDS, especially since a lot of our youth are victims of this disease,” said Go.
The new law removes the need for minors aged 15 to18 years to get parental consent prior to being tested for HIV.
Data from the Department of Health (DoH) showed that there were 2,811 new HIV/AIDS cases recorded from January to October 2018, with the victims’ ages ranging from 15 to 24 years old.
Malacañang has yet to release a copy of the signed law. CATHERINE VALENTE
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