Officials in the Philippines have pledged to do all they can to control the spread of HIV in the country.

New measures which are being put into place aim to combat the deadly virus by 2015 with the government of Capiz hoping to "reverse the tide of the pandemic".

As part of the new "commitment", workshops are being held which will be used as an opportunity to discuss and formulate future plans on combating the virus.

It is also hoped that new councils will be formed which will aim to increase the number of people who are aware of their HIV status and are registered as Aids patients.

The first case of Aids in the Philippines was diagnosed in 1984, a figure that had grown to 1,515 by 2001.

Concerns have been raised over the seemingly low prevalence rate, with many experts saying that it is down to conservative religious taboos which prevent people to declaring their status as HIV sufferers.

Capiz, popular with tourists as being the seafood capital of the Philippines, is located in the north-east of Panay Island and has boarders with Aklan and Antique to the west and Iloilo to the south.

Efforts have been made in the province to curb the spread of Aids and last year, it held the International Candlelight Memorial for those who have died from the disease.

The event included a service at St Catherine of Alexandria Parish Church as well as a programme aimed at raising public awareness of the disease.