“Nag-iinit. Pumipintig. Hindi ko mabitawan.” —Chris Martinez, premyadong mandudula at direktor
“Tumutulong ang naratibo ni Matias na gapiin ang takot.” —Jimmuel C. Naval, Ph.D., kuwentista at guro sa Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura, UPD
“Tagumpay ang librong ito...hindi compromised ang sining ng pagkukuwento.” —Luna Sicat Cleto, manunulat
“This is an important step forward in young adult literature in the Philippines.” —Gabriela Lee, awtor ng Instructions on How to Disappear
“...pinakatotoong paglalarawan sa realidad at buhay...” —Jack Alvarez, OFW at awtor ng Ang Autobiografia ng Ibang Lady Gaga
“...It is timely and disturbing and thought-provoking...” —Leo Katigbak, head of ABS-CBN Film Restoration
“...ang nobelang Mga Batang Poz ay maghahasik ng kaalaman ukol sa sariling pangangalaga sa katawan...” —Will P. Ortiz, premyadong manunulat at associate professor, UP Diliman
“Kay tapang ni Matias... bagong anyo ng panitikang pangkabataan sa buong mundo.” —Noel G. De Leon, manunulat at iskolar ng panitikang pambata sa Kanlurang Bisayas
“I closed the book and it lingers.” —Wilfredo Pascual, awtor ng Kilometer Zero
Segundo Matias Jr. is a recipient of numerous literary award giving bodies, which include three Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, the Philippine’s most prestigious—known as the “Pulitzer Prize” of the Philippines—and longest running awards program. Mr. Matias has also written screenplays for major movie outfits, as well as teleplays for various TV shows before entering the world of children’s literature. He is also a publisher and has published over 1,500 books for children and young adults. He is currently taking Masters in Creative Writing at the University of the Philippines—Diliman.
I was so excited when I learned about this book when it was launched years ago. So a little later since then, I bought my own copy. I was so hopeful about a book addressing HIV and the stigma surrounding those who have it—here, they were the main characters Luis, Enzo, Gab, and Chuchay. However, upon opening it, I couldn’t bring myself to finish it. I had to drop the book and watch the iWant series adaptation so I can at least visualize the characters.
I have so many feelings about this because I had high expectations.
At first, I was merely concerned about the form. I was mildly annoyed by redundant sentences, or those that could have been said in a shorter—or better—way. There was always a restating of the obvious. For instance, on page 44, it said: “Naglakad ang apat sa isang malapad na pilapil na itinuro ng matandang lalaki.” Then, two sentences later, “Nagpatuloy sila sa paglalakad papunta sa itinurong villa ng matandang lalaki.” I get it. They were walking.
The tone was sometimes off as well. It’s safe to assume the story was set in the late 2010’s when almost everyone had a smartphone and dating apps were no longer taboo. But the characters’ dialogue sometimes felt old rather than modern. I also found that there was too much exposition about the character’s actions, thoughts, and feelings. If there was anything I learned from my Lit major friends, it’s “show don’t tell.”
Enough about form. What bothered me the most was that in the course of raising HIV awareness and addressing discrimination towards positive patients, the book neglected—and may have even undermined—other problems within the LGBTQ+ community, women and femininity, and HIV itself.
The most glaring one is that the book is tolerating, if not entirely promoting, toxic masculinity within the gay community. Luis’, Enzo’s, and Gab’s POVs were riddled with vivid descriptions of their exclusive attraction to jacked, masculine, straight-passing bodies. And Chuchay, the only effeminate (perhaps trans?) character, only had a half-baked (and the shortest!) arc for herself, as if she were a mere afterthought. More on Chuchay later.
As if affirming its masculine stance, the book fell victim to feudal-patriarchal stereotypes and women-as-the-weaker-sex tropes without giving it so much as a one-liner or a subtle commentary or observation. The women in the story were accessories to their husbands. She was there to stop the husband from hurting their child, like Luis’ and Enzo’s moms. Sometimes, it’s outright violence: Gab’s father verbally abused and ridiculed his wife while Chuchay’s father hit his. Nothing more was added about these women. Now why are women and society’s view about them important in a book about HIV-positive gays? First, because intersectional feminism. Second, because these patriarchal ideas also exist and hurt the effeminate gays and transwomen—that even within the LGBTQ+ community, those who act and/or identify themselves as women place below the masculine ones.
The book itself espoused the same misconceptions about HIV that it wanted to address. The fact alone that all the main characters are gay unknowingly reinstates the myths that (1) only gays get HIV and that (2) they get it because they are sexually promiscuous.
To me, the only HIV issue the book tackled on point is the portrayal of the stigma and disgust and the reminder that an HIV infection is a strictly confidential matter.
Someone with whom I discussed this suggested it may be because the book is tackling one issue at a time and that it was merely reflecting the reality within the gay community. It would be quite disappointing if that were indeed the case. Literature should look at issues from a holistic point of view, lest it make the mistake of addressing one problem while reinforcing another. It is also not enough that art and literature mirror reality—it needs a clear message. Otherwise, there is no point. I personally don’t believe in art for art’s sake. If art has a target, an audience it wants to speak to, then it must get its point across. The book mishandled this insofar as HIV is concerned, but it fell face first on other peripheral issues in the story.
While the subject showed a lot of promise, I felt the book all in all was a let down. Especially considering Ricky Lee, Luna Sicat-Cleto, and Charlie Simuya-Veric, among many, many others, gave it glowing reviews. Come to think of it, no book ever (as far as I know, at least) had a blurb that said “Well, it was okay… Needs improvement.”
An LGBTQ book that is somewhat homophobic, dangerous, and problematic. I am so into the idea of this book having known that it was for a cause but it just missed the mark and way far off.
Currently, naka-play ang episode 3 ng TV adaptation netong libro na to sa iWantTFC and suffice to say tama nga yung awkwardness o pagka-off ko sa introduction nila. Sabi ko sa notes ko, bakit sila magroroad trip di naman nila kilala isa't isa? Ganun ba sila ka spontaneous? O normal yun, at ako ang abnormal? Sa TV series, parang kailangan pang pasikipin ang motibo ng isa't isa, kemistry, at istorya. Medjo ewan kasi naman ng paunang plot. Pero dahil dummy reader naman ako, ok, go. Roadtrip ng mga pusit.
Siguro dahil ako'y pusit din kaya medjo na-engganyo ako sa mga kwento. Medyo nakaka-uhaw yung mga kwento nila. Siguro may mga pantasya ako na ginusto ko din, lalo nung nasa edad na yan ako. Siguro mababa ang self-esteem ko dati, pero gusto ko din yung pinupuri, ginugusto, at ninanasa, tulad nila. Pero feel ko eh, medjo may kaalaman naman ako sa mga ganto, at saka busy ako sa unibersidad. Ang mga kwento dito--ok naman. Probable naman na mangyari, maaring common din yung mga ganitong kwento--nakuha sa bathhouses kasi naging marupok, nakuha sa iisang jowa niya na kumaliwa, nagahasa, o nahawa sa jowa nyang bakla.
Ang totoong issue dito ay hindi ang HIV sa totoo lang. Higit na isyung pisikal o kalusugan, ang issue dito ng HIV ay ang stigma kahalo nito, ang mga dahilan kung paano ito nakuha, ang mga gagawin pagka-diagnose, at ang mis-information. Kaakibat din kasi ng positibong resulta ay ang kasaysayan ng HIV at ang kasaysayan nito sa media at ang pagka-portray nito bilang sakit ng mga bakla. Ang issue dito ay paano ba tatanggapin ng aking pamilya, ng aking mga kaibigan, kapatid, girlfriend, ng mga kapitbahay ang pag positibong resulta ng HIV test. Doon ang kalungkutan, doon ang kasakitan. Maayos naman ang pag-portray nito: may mga takot sabihin sa magulang, may mga sinabi sa magulang, may tinanggap ng magulang, may nasapak.
Hiya. O shame sa Ingles, ang pinakamalaking emosyon na umiikot sa pagiging positibo sa HIV.
Ang paborito kong part sa libro ay ang laban ni Chuchay sa kahirapan. Dito nag-iintersect ang sexuality at ang class. Kinailangan niya ng pera pang-eskwela, pang-make-up, pang-kain. kaya pumapayag siya sa "halimaw" na may-ari ng tindahan. Masakit at mapoot ang danas niya. Gusto ko din yung twist ng Kenneth, nagulat ako.
Naiintindihan ko ang mga puna ng ibang reviews dito sa GoodReads. Nung binasa ko ito, binabaan ko na ang expectations ko. Tinanggap ko ang limitasyon ng libro: tanging mga maskuladong baklang lalaki na pa-men ang bida ng librong it. Ang mga babae sa libro ay background characters lamang. Maluwang ang plot--ang ending nakakairita (sobrang stalker naman ni Enzo). Hindi ito Nick Joaquin sa pagkasulat. Maraming butas sa kaalaman. Sana ang magbasa ng libro ay tanggapin din ang mga ito at isipin na hindi ito ang total na depinisyon ng mga karanasan ng mga taong may HIV. Maraming karanasan diyan na hindi pa naisusulat o naibabahagi. Magandang umpisa ito ng pag-uusap sa isyung ganito. Pero sana alam din ng mga mambabasa na mag-ingat, at magbasa pa ng ibang libro tungkol dito para makakuha ng iba pang mga lesson, information, at danas.
i appreciate its bravery in focusing on relevant and sensitive topics such as HIV. kung tutuusin, wala na akong ibang alam na librong tulad nito. bibihira lang talaga. it's very informative, and I learned a lot about HIV and the stigma surrounding it.
pero hindi ko rin maiwasang isipin na ang harmful ng approach niya, and this could likely have a negative effect, especially on gay people. madalas kasing mabanggit ang salitang “sakit iyan ng bakla” rito and even though linya lang un ng karakter, even though kinokorek naman un ng ibang tauhan, paulit-ulit ko pa rin siyang naeencounter sa kwento. and i worry na baka un na lang ang tumatak sa isip ng isang batang mambabasa.
and the author has four main characters here—four chances to present diverse representations of HIV victims. unfortunately, all four characters are boys, which reinforces the misrepresentation that HIV is predominantly associated with gay boys, even though this is not the case.
mej disappointed ako sa paghandle ng character ni chuchay. kulang siya ng rage sa kanyang perpetrator. kulang siya ng awa sa sarili at ng pagsisisi. ikinagalit ko rin ung last line na nabanggit niya sa part niya. i feel like it’s uncharacteristic of him to say those words.
isa pa sa napansin ko ay karamihan ng mga adults dito sa story ay unlikeable. i’m quite shocked at how prevalent ung case ng mga trentay anyos na lalaking nakikipagtalik sa mga minor na lalaki sa story rito. at some point, napapaisip ako kung book din ba ito about pedo behavior?
i would have appreciated the story more if varied din ang cause of transmission ng ilang characters. all four main characters here kasi ay parehas ang cause ng transmission. okay sana kung may at least isang case man lang na naiba.
overall, i appreciate the existence of this book and recognize its importance. however, it could benefit from further review pa sana, as some problematic parts are quite noticeable.
Nagtagumpay si Matias sa layunin nyang ipalaganap ang impormasyong base sa katotohanan tungkol sa HIV at AIDS. Masasabing ito ang pinaka importanteng produko ng librong ito - pagbibigay alam at pagayos ang mga kuro-kurong pumapalibot sa diskurso tungkol sa HIV/AIDS, lalo na sa target audience nitong mga young adult. Halatang dumaan ang paggawa ng libro na ito sa ilalim ng masinsinang pananaliksik. Sa palagay ko ang paborito ko sa librong ito ay ang paglatag ng iba't ibang karakter mula sa iba't ibang kalagayan at kamulatan sa buhay - si Luis ay lumaki sa isang burgis na konserbatibong pamilya, si Gab ay bisexual na anak ng korap na mayor, si Enzo ay mula sa lower-middle class na pamilyang tingin nya ay mas binibigyang pansin ang kanyang Kuya kesa sa kanya, at si Chuchay na repleksyon ng kahirapan sa Pilipinas. Sa pamamagitan ng mga karakter na ito ay nagbigay liwanag din ng awtor sa iba't ibang isyung kinakaharap sa bansa, liban pa sa HIV/AIDS. Mahusay.
Excited na ko sa mini-series na hango sa librong ito.
If I'll rate the stories of the characters, It'll be like this.
1- Chuchay 2- Enzo 3- Kenneth 4- Luis
I really liked the idea of having different stories tackling the same issue. Like seeing something in different angles. I liked Chuchay's story the best because it showed how poverty can drive everyone to the edge of the blade, and because out of the fours, she's the only one who did not willingly chose to have sex everytime. I liked Enzo the second, because it shows how much looks dictate a person's life and position in the society. And how obession for love can drive a person insane. I was turned off by his character in the end though. I won't tell why, because it will.be a spoiler, but I didn't him after that. Next is Gab, or Kenneth. I originally didn't like this story that much, but when 'that' was revealed, I literally had goosebumps. Anyways, the story is good. It shows how bisexuality works, but not that remarkable except for that major, almost creepy, reveal. And last is Luis. I used to like him the most, but aftet hearing all their stories, I realized that his story is the least impactful and he just straight up wants sex. Nothing more attached, just sex.
Anyways, the reason why I couldn't give it solid four stars. Is because of how it deviated the idea of HIV a bit. It almost sounded like HIV can only be caught by gay sex. Which is clearly not. Another, is that it is almost anticlimatic. Nothing really happened in the end, except flowers. And, it focused sooo much on backstories, that the real issue, of how they will continue with their lives, wasn't emphazied. It was very lukewarm end and very calm. I just though it could have been done better, or longer for that matter.
Napakagandang libro na masarap ulit-ulitin, lalo na ang mga kwento ni Gab at ni Chuchay. Lots of twists along the way, pero ang hindi ko lang nagustuhan sa storya ay lahat sila e puro lalaki na bakla. I was actually thinking that since it was a book about HIV/AIDS awareness, that one of the main characters might be female or at least, got the sickness accidentally, like from a blood transfusion or through birth, but aside from that, the story was perfect the way it is. Highly recommended read.
A no holds barred story about teenagers with developing pre frontal cortexes getting HIV and living their lives thereafter. A straightforward and realistic book that will lessen biases and judgement as well as increase understanding and acceptance.
I only understood the term Poz after I started this book. The term means someone who is HIV positive. I was flabbergasted by how little I actually now about HIV/AIDS. I guess that’s the whole point of this story—to educate. Effectively written in modern Filipino, this book tells the struggles and origin stories of our 4 heroines: Luis, Enzo, Gab, and Chuchay. Luis is a gay son of a wealthy Chinese family (with all its truths and stereotypes), Enzo is a self-conscious teenager who longs for equal attention and love from his parents, Gab is a bisexual who struggles to keep his relationship with his childhood sweetheart and his bestfriend (Kenneth), and Chuchay is the stereotypical gay we come to love and see in TV—talented, cheerful, loving, responsible elder sibling and son—who has a very dark battle to fight. Together, they are on their way to rediscover Pampanga and chase Baguio to stop RJ’s alleged attempts to spread HIV there. . HIV was presented in 4 different perspectives and origin.Their stories opened my eyes to both sides of the coin. That not only the Poz have to deal with it, but also the patient. . The painful reality of rape and misogyny, the thought l-provoking curiosity and disturbing decision-making of teens nowadays, and the stigma of third sex and HIV have unfolded flawlessly to my curious eyes. . The light story telling and well-paced events made me finish the book in one seating. The twist and turns of the story kept me on the edge of my seat. I grew fond of the characters and felt their despair. It’s that kind of book that you actually cheer for the heroes! . This book is an a huge step forward to the YA genre of the Philippine literature. Gone are the days that we only talk about shallow and “child-friendly” topics in YA. I highly recommend this book especially to Grade 10 to senior high school students. To my fellow adults, please grab your copy of this book to get a glimpse of how our teens behave nowadays. . . . #booktalk #bookstagram #bookstagrammerph #bookstagrammer #booksofig #bookishfeatures #YAnovel #philippineliterature #HIV #AIDS #gay #bookreview #bookworm #readersofinstagram
In commemoration of World AIDS Day, I finally picked up Mga Batang Poz by Segundo Matias Jr. — and it left a powerful mark on me. Published in 2019, during a time when HIV cases among Filipino youth (especially those aged 15–24) were alarmingly high, this novel feels even more urgent and necessary today.
The story follows four teenagers from different backgrounds, each living with HIV. What I loved most is how authentically their voices are written — messy, vulnerable, hopeful, angry, brave. The book never sanitizes their pain, but it also never strips away their humanity. Instead, it highlights their struggles *and* their strength, reminding readers that HIV is not a moral failure, but a medical condition surrounded by stigma and misunderstanding.
Matias delivers a narrative that’s both eye-opening and deeply empathetic. It invites readers to listen without judgment and to recognize how vital awareness, education, and compassion are — especially for the youth who continue to face these realities.
If you prefer visual storytelling or want to further understand the characters’ journeys, I also highly recommend watching the TV series adaptation on the iWantTFC app. It’s heartfelt, impactful, and stays true to the novel’s message.
A brave, necessary read that continues to matter. 🌈🧡
Reading books and watching TV series can literally change our mind in signigicant and very different ways.
I salute all the actors na matapang na gumanap for this series. The moment I found out that Mga Batang Poz will have an adaptation in Iwant TV. I started asking myself if they can exceed my expectation with the novel version and gladly they did. It's just that they've put my imagination into reality. Napakagaling sobrang natural lang ng pag-ganap. They help people to learn and get inspired by this Advocacy. They raise awareness, started to spread the news to stop the stigma in HIV/Aids. Naging matagumpay ang proyektong ito dahil sa kanilang mga kamay. Hands up to the great writer of this book segundomatiasjr Tumayo bilang inspirasyon sa mga kabataan Nagturo kung gaano kaganda ang buhay at kung paano ito pangangalagaan. Congratulations.
Ito ang translated version mula sa aking Instagram account for book reviews na thegreatwallofbianca:
Ito ang kwento ng apat na estranghero na pinagbuklod ng trahedyang sumubok sa kanilang musmos na buhay. Higit pa sa pagsulong ng kaalaman sa HIV, ipinapakita ng nobelang ito ni Matias na: 1. Ang mga trahedya ay maari ring maging munting biyaya 2. Kung lubos nating yayakapin ang mga kaibigan at kapamilya nating LGBTQ, mas maiintindihan natin ang kanilang mga suliranin at iwasan ang anumang posibleng panganib na naka-angkla sa kanila 3. Ang pagiging LGBTQ ay hindi isang sakit; bagkus, ito ay isang napakagandang pagkakataon para bigyan ng mas matingkad na kulay ang buhay.
Isang obra maestra. Isa ito sa librong hindi ko maibaba dahil sa sobrang kapana-panabik ang istorya. Emosyonal at may puso. Isang sining na magdudulot satin ng kaalaman patungkol sa isa sa mga pinaka pinaguusapang sakit ngayon na ang layon ay ang maging alisto tayo sa usaping ito at huwag mag paapekto sa stigma na bumabalot dito. Ang daming twists ng istorya na sobra kong ikinamangha. Ang daming parte na ako ay naluha. At may mga parte rin na labis akong natuwa at napabilib. Sana ang librong ito ay masundan pa.
A nostalgic reread. Thankful for the swift yet profound writing. I'm not sure if I ever has the same impression with my first read (discovered this on Wattpad!), but I wish Kenneth and Enzo's bluffs were addressed properly. Their stories seem to have been resolved pretty quickly because of the plight of the events. Overall, the accounts on social stigma and realistic situation on HIV/AIDS among the Filipino youth is truthfully mirrored.
The story is OK but the editing leaves a lot to be desired. The book occasionally/often changes which character has the focus in a limited third person narrative, including have reported thoughts on non-POV characters. Also the conceit was off, the characters are supposed to be young but the language often slips to puristikang Pilipino from some pre-historic era.
Finally, I am not totally sold into this idea of finding self worth through romantic love.
Mr. Matias addresses the on-going problem of the Philippine youth. I won't be dwelling much in the storyline. The book is a must-read and as a lecturer and with active engagement with them, I could relay the book's message to them.
Good narrative even though there are dead parts. The last two arcs are my personal favorite. Looking forward to its drama adaptation. The sudden turn of stories of Segundo Matias Jr., from Moymoy Lulumboy to Mga Batang Poz is surprising.
4.5 I just don't like the ending. Sana may plot twist gaya ng isang tao lang pala yung nakainfect sa kanila or anything. I mean may igaganda pa sana yung ending. Pero isa tong eye opener. 👌🏻