SHIP

At the Regional Forum on Long-Acting PrEP this 21-22nd November in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, SHIP joined regional partners in strengthening HIV prevention options across Southeast Asia. The forum brought together policymakers, researchers, providers, and community organizations to review current evidence on oral PrEP and outline strategies for introducing long-acting prevention methods.

From the Philippines, presenters shared updates on PrEP access, with Dr. Roland Sardan (DOH-DPCB) discussing national oral PrEP uptake and future plans for long-acting PrEP, including Lenacapavir rollout. SHIP’s MEARL Specialist, Rod Olete, presented emerging evidence on Filipinos’ preferences for long-acting PrEP and proposed a three-ecosystem implementation science approach to guide the country’s rollout.

With the support of the community and its partners, we expect a bright future for long-acting PrEP in the Philippines soon!

linktr.ee/ship_ph

Last 19th to the 20th of November, Sustained Health Initiatives of the Philippines (SHIP) joined the Asia-Pacific Chem-Use Symposium (APCS) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The APCS is a regional space dedicated to aligning strategies and co-creating solutions for chemsex-related health, rights, and harm reduction.

A key highlight was the UNAIDS–UNODC joint session, which tackled policies and guidelines shaping safer, more inclusive harm reduction responses. SHIP’s MEARL Specialist, Rod Olete, was invited to speak on intersectionality, emphasizing how identities, social class, and syndemic factors influence chemsex vulnerability and access to care. Mr. Olete also introduced a person-centered chemsex care cascade framework that incorporates these intersectional experiences to guide more responsive programming.

Our great thanks to the APCS 2025, and we hope to continue our part of shaping a stronger, more effective regional response to chem-use!