The Philippines Senate just voted in favour of a strong reform Bill for the prevention of HIV/AIDS in the country. Senators Risa Hontiveros and Senate health committee chairman Joseph Victor Ejercito introduced the Bill which will improve the Philippines’ policies on HIV prevention and containment.

The Senate voted 14-0 in favour of updating the Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998.

The new policy will improve access to ‘HIV services, especially for key populations and vulnerable communities, and ensure social and financial risk protection for those who need to access these services’. It will also provide more funds to HIV prevention, testing and treatment. Increased education about HIV will also be improved at schools, workplaces and vulnerable areas.

The new law will tackle HIV stigma to ‘enhance anti-discrimination protection to promote the human rights of Filipinos living with HIV, key populations and vulnerable communities, and providers of HIV services’. Read more via Gay Star News