QUEZON CITY, Philippines – The Palace on Sunday said that testing for Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains voluntary.
Presidential Communication Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., said that Republic Act 8504 or the Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998, prohibits compulsory HIV testing.
“Ayon po doon sa batas na ‘yon, hindi po pinahihintulutan ang compulsory HIV testing kaya hinahon lang. Wala naman po tayong iginigiit na hindi naaayon sa batas,” said Coloma.
HIV & AIDS support groups—Action for Health Initiatives, Network to Stop AIDS Philippines, Filipinos Living with HIV, and the Library Foundation Share Collective—have expressed their objection of mandatory HIV testing.
“Wala naman po silang binabanggit na ipapatupad na patakaran hinggil diyan. Kaya siguro nandoon pa talaga tayo sa aspeto na dapat ‘yan ay maging purely voluntary lamang,” said Coloma.
RA 8504 states that: Compulsory HIV testing as a precondition to employment, admission to educational institutions, the exercise of freedom of abode, entry or continued stay in the country, or the right to travel, the provision of medical service or any other kind of service, or the continued enjoyment of said undertakings is deemed unlawful.
