DOH: 596 Pinoys get HIV due to paid sex

MANILA, Philippines — Nearly 600 of the 5,101 newly diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus or HIV cases engaged in transactional sex, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Based on the HIV and AIDS surveillance report in the first quarter of 2025, the DOH said 596 people living with HIV were found to have engaged in paid sex.

Twelve percent of the newly diagnosed HIV cases engaged in transactional sex in the past 12 months, the DOH said.

Up to 249 of the HIV cases paid for sex. Of the figure, 248 are males and one is a female.

The DOH said 239 HIV cases accepted payment in exchange for sex, including 231 males and eight females.

The report said 108 HIV cases either paid for or received payment in exchange for sex. The number consists of 105 males and three females.

According to the DOH, 16,586 HIV cases have been recorded since the reporting of transactional sex began in December 2012.

Fifty-four percent or 8,962 of the total HIV cases, who had history of paid sex, were diagnosed from 2020 to 2025, the DOH said.