In a community hall in Misamis Oriental, a group of young leaders huddle over drafts of a local youth leaders’ development plan. Their goal: to make HIV services more accessible and stigma-free in their barangays. Only a few years ago, few would have spoken openly about the issue. Today, these youth officials are shaping policies that could save lives.

This scene captures a quiet transformation, one that began more than a decade ago, when the Philippines started reimagining its HIV response not just as a health challenge, but as a question of justice, inclusion and governance. Along the way, UNDP and partners helped bring together government institutions, civil society and affected communities to ensure that the country’s laws and systems reflect the realities of the people they serve.

When discussions on HIV and rights began under the Global Commission on HIV and the Law in 2011, the atmosphere was very different. Conversations were often cautious, constrained by stigma and legal barriers that discouraged testing and care. Many of those most affected, men who have sex with men, transgender women and young people, felt unseen by the laws meant to protect them.

UNDP’s Global Commission on HIV and the Law regional dialogues helped open space for difficult but necessary conversations. Government representatives, lawyers, activists and people living with HIV came together to examine how outdated laws and punitive policies perpetuated fear instead of protection. These early meetings laid the foundation for something deeper: a recognition that effective HIV responses depend not only on medicine, but on human rights and sound governance.

Change accelerated when evidence joined advocacy. UNDP’s 2013 report Legal Protections Against HIV-Related Human Rights Violations revealed how enforcement gaps left people vulnerable to discrimination in healthcare, workplaces, and communities. Around the same time, the Being LGBT in Asia: Philippines Country Report documented the barriers faced by LGBTI+ Filipinos seeking access to health and justice.

These studies did more than highlight problems; they gave policymakers and communities a common set of facts to act on. UNDP worked closely with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), the Stop the Discrimination Coalition, and other civil society partners to turn evidence into policy proposals. Through inclusive consultations and local dialogues, community voices helped shape the language of future laws.

Years of persistence paid off when the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act (RA 11166) was passed in 2018. For the first time, the law guaranteed adolescents aged 15 to 17 the right to HIV testing without parental consent, strengthened the coordination role of the Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC), and established clearer mechanisms for rights-based service delivery. 

According to Dr. Joselito Feliciano, Executive Director of PNAC, “The passage of the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act (RA 11166) was more than a legislative milestone — it was the culmination of years of engagement, coordination and shared resolve across sectors. We witnessed firsthand how collaboration, evidence and unwavering commitment shaped the final form of this law — one that reflects the realities and needs of our primary stakeholders: the Filipino people. RA 11166 stands as a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when every sector works together to protect health, dignity, and human rights."

The law’s passage represented a collective victory, crafted through evidence, dialogue and commitment. UNDP’s role was to help bring partners together, ensuring that civil society perspectives were heard, that government processes were transparent, and that policies were grounded in human rights principles.

When the law’s Implementing Rules and Regulations were adopted the following year, it marked a shift from advocacy to action. But turning policy into practice required capacity and sustained support, especially at the local level, which is what UNDP’s primary focus has been on in recent years.

One innovation was the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) for Local Governments, designed to help mayors, city health officers and local legislators develop inclusive HIV ordinances and investment plans. The course introduced practical tools on how to align local budgets and governance structures with the national HIV framework, turning complex policies into actionable steps.

At the same time, the SCALE Initiative supported key population-led organizations to identify and dismantle HIV-related legal barriers, lead community advocacy, and strengthen their ability to influence policy decisions. By centering leadership within affected communities, SCALE linked lived experience with structural change.