Section 2Sec./Art. 2

Declaration of Policies. - The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are public health concerns that have wide-ranging social, political, and economic repercussions. Responding to the country's HIV and AIDS situation is therefore imbued with public interest and shall be anchored on the principles of human rights upholding human dignity.

Policies and practices that discriminate on the basis of perceived or actual HIV status, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, economic status, disability, and ethnicity hamper the enjoyment of basic human rights and freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution and are deemed inimical to national interest.

The State shall respect, protect, and promote human rights as the cornerstones of an effective response to the country's HIV and AIDS situation. Hence, HIV and AIDS education and information dissemination should form part the right to health.

The meaningful inclusion and participation of persons directly and indirectly affected by the HIV and AIDS situation, especially persons living with HIV, are crucial in eliminating the virus. Thus unless otherwise provided in this Act, the confidentiality and non-compulsory nature of HIV testing and HIV-related testing shall always be guaranteed and protected by the State.

Towards this end, the State shall ensure the delivery of non-discriminatory HIV and AIDS services by government and private HIV and AIDS service providers, and develop redress mechanisms for persons living with HIV to ensure that their civil, political, economic, and social rights are protected.

Accordingly, the State shall:

(a) Establish policies and programs to prevent the spread of HIV and deliver treatment, care, and support services to Filipinos living with HIV in accordance with evidence-based strategies and approaches that uphold the principles of human rights, gender-responsiveness, and age-appropriateness, including meaningful participation of communities affected by the country's HIV and AIDS situation;

(b) Adopt a multi-sectoral approach in responding to the country's HIV and AIDS situation by ensuring tha the whole government approach, local communities, civil society organizations (CSOs), and persons living with HIV are at the center of the process;

(c) Ensure access to HIV- and AIDS-related services by eliminating he climate of stigma and discrimination that surrounds the country's HIV and AIDS situation, and the people directly and indirectly affected by it; and

(d) Positively address and seek to eradicate conditions that aggravated the spread of HIV infection, which include poverty. Gender ineqaulity, marginalization, and ignorance.