Beware the Surge: STDs in the Philippines – Ladyboys, Behaviors, and How to Protect Yourself
Introduction
Hey everyone, I'm Joe, a retired guy from the US who's been living in the Philippines for over three years. Not only living, but traveling and immersing myself in the local cultures. If you’re an expat or considering moving to Asia, you need to know that HIV is increasing faster in the Philippines than in any other part of Asia. Unless you’ve lived under a rock for the last 30 years, you should know that the Man on Man sex is the leading transmission factor of HIV and other STD’s worldwide. But, HIV is not the only disease to fear.
We’re going to cover the curable and incurable diseases you’re at risk of contracting here in the Philippines. This is important , because STDs (particularly HIV is booming in the Philippines while decreasing everywhere else in Asia). A lack of education, wide-spread poverty, and easy access to sex via applications like GRINDR and Tinder are the key drivers of this problem.
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I'm not a doctor, but I've researched enough reliable sources to bring you factual, no-nonsense information that can save your life. My sources are listed below.
The problem is clear
STDs, especially HIV, are surging at an alarming rate in the Philippines while decreasing everywhere else in Asia. According to the Department of Health there were about 60 new HIV cases in the Philippines reported everyday in 2025. That is More than 20,000 new cases in 2025 alone (a 57 percent increase from the previous year).
Areas like Metro Manila, Cebu, and other urban centers are most impacted. The epidemic is (NO SURPRISE) driven primarily by male on male sexual transmission. (This includes lady boys) and transgenders. If we don't address this now, the future looks really grim. Data show that as of the end of 2025, more than a quarter million people in the Philippines, are living with HIV.
For expats, tourists, or locals engaging in social scenes, ignoring this means higher chances of infection, long-term health issues, and even death from untreated cases. Young people aged 15-24 make up a significant portion of new infections. If you're in that group or dating a someone who is —- Hey Expat —— You’re in the high risk category yourself.
Hope
But there is hope, we can solve this through awareness, education and by making smart choices.
First, we all need to know the diseases:
Curable STDs include:
Chlamydia
gonorrhea
syphilis
trichomoniasis
Those four diseases can be treated and cured with antibiotics if caught early. However, Left untreated the medical complications can be devastating. Syphylis is particularly nasty as the symptoms go away (even if untreated) and then it re-emerges years later with horrific consequences.
Incurable STDs include:
HIV
Herpes
HPV
Hepatitis B
These diseases are viral and can be managed to some degree with medications to reduce symptoms, transmission, and complications, but there is no cure. They are a gift that keeps on giving.
Who are most at risk
We’ve briefly mentioned men who have sex with men make up the majority of new cases. This includes ladyboys, sex workers, and people who inject drugs. Also, With apps like Tinder and Grindr, College age women wanting support for school, and the ever changing rainbow crowd have easy access to sex whenever they want it, and/or whenever they need money. Now that we know the problem is risky sex and that sex is easy to find, what are the behaviors that make sex risky?
Risky sexual behavior/precautions
Unprotected sex (that’s a big one here in the Philippines)
multiple partners,
casual encounters,
sexual activity starting at a young age,
Substance abuse
Substance abuse impairs judgment and decreases inhibitions. Know this before you start drinking or choose to explore a drug like ecstasy, t only takes one mistake to destroy your life. If you engage in any of those behaviors, you can mitigate risks by:
Get tested regularly at free clinics
use condoms every time
limit partners
avoid alcohol and drugs that will fuel such activity
What else can we do
We have to be open to discussions with others without being judgmental. Education, open discussions, and early intervention can deter risky behavior prevent most transmissions. Remember even though you can catch an STD via blood transfusion or by sharing a drug needle, over 96% of STDs are sexual transmitted.
Statistics:
UNAIDS and WHO report a 550% rise in new HIV infections from 2010 to 2024. They estimate over 1/4 million people in the Philippines are now living with HIV.
The Department Of Health notes around 60 new HIV diagnoses are made daily, and they are mostly among 15-34-year-olds who contracted the disease through sexual contact.
The best case scenario is not to contract any STD, but being knowledgeable about cures and treatments will make your life better should you experience symptoms or test positive.
Let’s leave on a high note. The Philippine Government and local and international partners are making real efforts to educate the younger people so we can put an end to the future destruction of so many beautiful lives.
This brings home our motto:
Better thinking does equal a better life,
Joe out
Citations:
1. UNAIDS, WHO support DOH's call for urgent action as the Philippines faces the fastest-growing HIV surge in the Asia-Pacific region - https://www.who.int/philippines/news/detail/11-06-2025-unaids--who-support-doh-s-call-for-urgent-action-as-the-philippines-faces-the-fastest-growing-hiv-surge-in-the-asia-pacific-region
2. Rising HIV cases in the Philippines in 2025 demand urgent global attention - https://sti.bmj.com/content/early/2025/08/31/sextrans-2025-056693
3. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) - WHO Fact Sheet - https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sexually-transmitted-infections-(stis)
4. 2025_Q2-HIV-AIDS-Surveillance-Report-of-the-Philippines - https://www.ship.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025_Q2-HIV-AIDS-Surveillance-Report-of-the-Philippines-1.pdf
5. DOH: More than 250,000 people living with HIV by year-end - https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2150370/doh-more-than-250000-people-living-with-hiv-by-year-end
6. 5,583 new HIV cases from July-Sept. 2025 in PH — DOH - https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/12/1/5-583-new-hiv-cases-from-july-sept-2025-in-ph-doh-1518
7. UNAIDS calls for urgent action as Philippines faces fastest-growing HIV epidemic in Asia Pacific - https://unaids-ap.org/2025/06/04/unaids-calls-for-urgent-action-as-philippines-faces-fastest-growing-hiv-epidemic-in-asia-pacific
8. RTI/STI Prevalence in Selected Sites in the Philippines - https://www.aidsdatahub.org/resource/rti-sti-prevalence-selected-sites-philippines
9. HIV and TB Overview: Philippines - CDC - https://www.cdc.gov/global-hiv-tb/php/where-we-work/philippines.html