Bicam-approved AIDS bill frees 15-year-olds from needing parents’ OK to be tested for HIV

If President Rodrigo Duterte signs the bicam-approved HIV and AIDS Policy Act of 2018, minors aged 15 years and older will no longer need their parents' consent before they receive tests for HIV.

According to Ivan Mayrina's report on "24 Oras", data from the Department of Health as of August, indicated that nearly one in three cases of HIV infection involved those between 15 to 24 years old.

It also showed that the number of new HIV cases per day has more than doubled over the past five years.

"Ang main driver ng increase ng cases ng HIV at saka AIDS ay young men," DOH spokesman Dr. Enrico Domingo said.

"Men who have sex with men na very young so itong age group na 15 to 25...yan sila 'yung gusto natin ma-detect nang maaga," he added. —NB/AT, GMA News