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Situation Regarding PLHIV WhoseRights Were ViolatedA. INCIDENCE OF HIV INFECTIONData from the National Epidemiology Center show that the incidenceof HIV infection in the Philippines is increasing and that there isnow about one new case every four hours. From January toDecember 2011, there were 2,349 new cases, 268 of which were reportedin December 2011 alone. Some 8,364 Filipinos were found to be HIV-positivefrom 1984 up to December 2011. 5 It is very likely that this is an underreportedfigure.B. PLIGHT OF PLHIVPLHIV live in a daunting environment, as they could be subjected to differentlevels of offense, namely:■■■Stigma – defined as a dynamic process of devaluation thatsignificantly discredits an individual in the eyes of others 6Discrimination – defined as any form of distinction, exclusion orrestriction affecting any person, usually but not only by virtue ofan inherent personal characteristic or perceived belonging to aparticular group (in the case of HIV and AIDS, a person’sconfirmed or suspected HIV-positive status) 7 . Discrimination isan overt behavior that translates stigma into action.Other acts of human rights violations – aside fromdiscrimination which is a human rights violation by itself, PLHIVcould be subjected to other forms of violations like physical andverbal attacks.5Philippine HIV & AIDS Registry Report, December 2011 issue, National Epidemiology Center6E. Goffman, “Stigma: notes on the management of a spoiled identity,” 1963, quoted in UNAIDS,HIV-related Stigma, Discrimination and Human Rights Violations (Geneva: UNAIDS, 2005), 7.7UNAIDS, HIV-related Stigma, Discrimination and Human Rights Violations (Geneva: UNAIDS,2005), 9.INTRODUCTION 15