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New law to boost HIV AIDS preuention - L& Union lawmaker
A MEASURE signed into law in De(€m- The new law rep€aled RA 9504orlhe pinos, especially among the vulnerable vulnerable communities. sion allows persons aged 15 t0 17 y€ars credit and insuran(e, hospitalsand health

ber lastyearwould strengthen the PhilippineAIDS PreventionandC0ntr0l Ad grou ps," Erigue I said. The law will promotethe rights, t0 und€rgo HlVtesting even withoutthe institutions, and burial services.
Department of Heahh (DoH) data welfare and partidpation ofpeople liv- (0nsent 0ftheh parent 0r guardian. Violators 0fthe law will face imprh-
country's poliq 0n.Human lmmunodefi- 0f 1998. lt will ltrengthen and re(onsti-
cienry Virus {HlV)and Atquired lmmune tutethe Philippine National AlD5 Coun(il showed that HIV and AIDS (ases in the ing with HIV and the aff€(ted children, she said this would prev€ntthe onment of 1 yearto 10 years and may br

Defidency Syndrome (AlD5), a lawmaker (PNAC)with tull budgetary suppon. Philippines rose t0 11,103 in" 2017 from young people, families and partners of spread ofthe epidemic among young fined P50,000 to P500,000.

nid on Monday. The measure was (o-authored by [a 9,264 cases in 2016. people livinq with HlV. ltwould also Filipinos and removethe stigma on Ile law authorizes the DoH t0 establish

Republi( Ad (RA) I1166 or the Uni0n 2nd Distrid Rep. Sandra Eriguel Under RA'11166,the PNAC will prom0te prohibit mass media from identifying peopl€ living with HIV or AlD5. a pmg ram to provide free and atcessible

'Philippine HIV and AIDS Act,"whkh was and (0ns0lidated into a substitute bill and adopt a range 0fmeasures and inter- pers0n5with HlV0rAlD5, Erlguel said. Ihe lawalso contains provisions penal- treatment and mediGtion to all persons

signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in underthe House health committee. venli0nst0 prevent 0r (ontrol the spread She noted that an important provi- izing dis(rimination against people living living with HIV and AlDS.ltalso establish-

oecember 2018, willexpand a(cess t0 "Ihis lawwill help prevent the 0f HIV among the general population, sion 0fthe law makes health servi(es for . with HlVorAlDS in employment, school es an annual budget t0 implementlhe

HIV-preventi0n strateqies nati0nwide. further spread 0f HIV-AlD5 am0n9 Fili- esperially among the key populati0ns and HIV-AlD5 availableto minors. The provi- €nr0llment, travel, h0usinq, publi( 0ffi(e, provisionsofthe law. GIEE TALEI

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