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The Philippine House of
Representatives has approved a bill to strengthen the country’s comprehensive
policy on HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care. The House Bill 6751, also
known as the Revised Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy and Program Act of 2012,
replaced House Bill Nos. 4129, 5312, and 5605. It is also geared to protecting
the rights and freedoms of individuals with HIV/AIDS and to improving their
living conditions.
The bill, which was endorsed by the
House Committee on Health, has as one of its key provisions, the restructuring
of the legal framework on HIV/AIDS by harmonizing it with evidence-informed
strategies and approaches on prevention, treatment, care and support for
HIV/AIDS patients and ensuring a response that is appropriate, flexible, and
relevant to the characteristics of the HIV epidemic in the country.
One of the authors of the bill, Rep.
Imelda Marcos (2nd District, IIocos Norte) praised the bill’s passage and said
that this bill would go a long way to help with treatment of the 46,000
Filipinos projected to be affected by the disease by 2015. Marcos stated that
the establishment of a National HIV and AIDS program will prepare the way for
drafting a plan for HIV and AIDS that has clear strategies, targets, and
operationalization framework and funding.
The bill explains the roles and responsibilities
of state institutions that participate in the HIV and AIDS response beginning
with government national agencies and down to the local programs. Rep. Kaka
Bag-ao, another author of the bill, commented that it strengthens the stigma
reduction mechanisms of the law, which guarantee that the country’s HIV and
AIDS response is based on respect, recognition, and promotion of human dignity.
Bag-ao added that the bill also strengthens the Philippine National AIDS
Council as the central planning and implementing agency for HIV and AIDS
concerns by increasing its participation and providing a permanent secretariat
to support its activities.
The bill also provides for harsher
penalties for violations of the law ranging from a six-month to five-year jail
term and/or fines of not less than P50,000 and not more than P500,000.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
