Batang Poz sequel highlights how teens face HIV

THE LATEST release by author Segundo Matias, Jr, titled Stigma: Mga Batang Poz 2, offers a glimpse into the lives of young Filipinos living with HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

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As a sequel to his 2018 novel Mga Batang Poz, it enters territory regarding the sensitive issue that hasn’t been explored before — such as available treatments and stories of women living with HIV.

In the sequel, the four “poz” (HIV-positive) teens from the first book are joined by a new character, 15-year-old Melody, as they try to navigate their health condition in a conservative Philippines.

“Mayroon akong na-encounter na 15-year-old na magpapa-test ng baby niya kasi may HIV siya (I had encountered a 15-year-old who was going to have her baby tested because she had HIV), so that inspired me to write about her,” he said at the book launch on Nov. 28.

This led to the character of Melody, who serves as the “thread” connecting the stories of the four teens from book one to her own. Though she was already in early drafts of the first book, Mr. Matias opted to shelve the character for the moment given that over 90% of HIV cases in the Philippines were male.

“I think it is very timely as well that the female character is included in book two. Compared to males, there are fewer women getting HIV, but the number is increasing — and that translates to newborns who are infected with the virus,” said Dr. Rosanna Ditangco, HIV research program head of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, at the panel discussion at the book launch.

“In the past, it was rarely seen, but now it’s not uncommon. If you look at statistics, there are newborn babies who are reportedly getting HIV every month, so this is very relevant not only for teenage pregnancy, but for women in general,” she added.