BAGUIO CITY — Darwin Babon, the HIV and AIDS Program Manager of the Department of Health Cordillera Administrative Region, said the use of technology is a factor in the spike of HIV cases.
“It’s because, if you observe, it becomes easier now to contact anyone to be your sexual partner, and most of these incidents are random in nature. Meaning to say, you’re not really that close, hindi naman talaga kayo gaanong matagal na magkakilala, it’s just random casual contact,” Babon added.
Based on data from the Epidemiology Bureau as of March 2026, Baguio City has the highest number of recorded HIV cases with 812, followed by Abra with 220 cases and Benguet with 218. Other provinces reported lower numbers: Ifugao with 65 cases, Kalinga with 63, Mountain Province with 46, and Apayao with 41.
Babon highlighted the progress of Project Namnama (Nurturing Awareness, Mobilizing Networks, and Advocating to Mitigate the impact of AIDS), an initiative by the DOH-CAR designed to address challenges posed by sexually transmitted infections and HIV in the Cordillera. A recent update is the opening of a clinic.
Namnama, an Ilokano word meaning hope, desire, or wish, was adapted as an acronym that stands for “Nurturing Awareness, Mobilizing Networks, and Advocating to Mitigate” the impact of AIDS in the Cordillera.
The project aims to mitigate the impact and reverse the trend of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and decrease the number of STI cases in the region through awareness, community mobilization, advocacy for human rights, and partnerships.
Health officials continue to encourage the public to practice safe sex, undergo regular HIV testing, and seek early treatment to prevent the spread of the virus.
A total of 1,465 cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus have been recorded in the region since 1984, with 82 deaths. By: Rommel G. Fangot Jr., UC Intern
