Ahtisa Manalo calls for action amid HIV surge among PH youth

Ahtisa Manalo. Image: Instagram/@ahtisa

Miss Universe Philippines 2025 Ahtisa Manalo underscored the need for accurate and age-appropriate sexual health education, amid the 500 percent surge in HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) cases among young Filipinos.

The Department of Health (DOH) earlier proposed to declare HIV a national public health emergency, noting that the number of cases per day have alarmingly reached 57 from January to March this year.

The beauty queen spoke about this as she shared the DOH’s call through her Facebook page on Tuesday, June 3.

“As a beauty queen and an advocate for youth empowerment, I cannot stay silent in the face of a crisis that affects the very heart of our future. The 500% rise in HIV cases among Filipino youth is more than just a statistic—it is a call to action,” she said.

“This dramatic increase reflects a lack of access to accurate, compassionate, and age-appropriate sexual health education,” she stressed. “Proper education is not about encouraging recklessness—it’s about equipping young people with the truth, the tools, and the confidence to make informed choices about their health and well-being.”

Manalo further urged the public to end the stigma and start the conversation.

“Education is empowerment—and empowered youth can change the world. Let us rise together, not in fear, but in knowledge, compassion, and responsibility,” she added.

According to the DOH, it recorded 5,101 newly diagnosed people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the country from January to March. The youngest case is a 12-year-old who was found to be engaging in unprotected sex.  /ra