LAMUT, Ifugao (PIA) — The province of Ifugao opened its first HIV Treatment Hub, called “Balen di Pamhod”, at the Panopdoapan District Hospital (PDH) in the municipality of Lamut.
The Balen di Pamhod (“house of love”), HIV Treatment Hub is now authorized to provide comprehensive HIV treatment and related services to Ifugao and nearby areas after receiving certification from the National AIDS and STI Prevention and Control Program, the Department of Health, and the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit.
The STI-HIV Prevention and Control Program–Cordillera shared that the certification confirms the hospital’s readiness to deliver sustained HIV care, significantly reducing the need for patients to seek treatment outside the province.
PDH Hospital Chief and designated head of the HIV Treatment Hub, Dr. Aloha Marcia Kalaw, said the hub offers a safe and compassionate environment for clients, marking a major milestone in strengthening Ifugao’s HIV response.
She highlighted the importance of improving access to timely, patient-centered HIV services within the province.
With the establishment of the treatment hub, the province will have access to vital data that will help improve patient care and monitoring.
The Provincial Implementation Team (PIT) reported in a meeting in December 2025 that there were 1,355 HIV cases in the Cordillera region from 1984 to June 2025, with 57 cases recorded in Ifugao.
Provincial STI and HIV Coordinator Siena Jobelyn Pukayon noted that 99.9% of these cases were transmitted through sexual contact, 94% involved biologically male individuals, 49% were aged 25–34, and 26% were aged 15–24.
The PIT emphasized its goal of achieving the 95-95-95 targets by 2030, which aim to ensure that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those diagnosed receive treatment, and 95% of those on treatment achieve viral suppression.
The Balen di Pamhod HIV Treatment Hub now joins the network of HIV Treatment Hubs in the Cordillera Region, contributing to the region’s collective efforts to meet the growing demand for HIV services.
The PIT team is also working to certify Potia District Hospital as an HIV treatment hub. **JDP/FBR- PIA- Ifugao with reports from STI-HIV Prevention and Control Program–Cordillera
