The Provincial Government of South Cotabato is set to strengthen its campaign against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) after a seven-year-old boy tested positive for the virus.

According to the South Cotabato Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO), the boy is the youngest of the 142 new HIV patients in the province whose cases were recorded from January to September 2025.

“The youngest that we have is... based sa data is seven years old ang age,” IPHO Disease Prevention and Control Unit Head, John Arlo Codilla, said.

Health officials suspect that the boy may be a victim of sexual abuse as the child’s mother tested negative in initial HIV screening.

“Hindi pa gad namun ma-specify directly kung sexually abused ang client or may ara na ibang sang factors. The mother is with us, we screened already non-reactive or negative siya sa testing because we already cover the two testings,” Codilla added.

Over the past years, the province has recorded a total of 1,783 individuals living with HIV.

Because of this, IPHO is intensifying its campaign against the disease down to the barangay level.

“We don’t wait na maglala, HIV is everyone’s responsibility, and we need also a strong support from the barangay level up to the national level. We will enhance strong barangay support especially establishing barangay local AIDS response thru their local council and the ang atung mga munisipyo to fully establish the program,” Codilla said.

IPHO also urged individuals who are active sexually to undergo free HIV testing at designated facilities in the province to monitor their health and gain access to treatment.