Dolzura Cortez

Ma. Dolzura Cortez ( – 1992) was a Filipino who died of AIDS complications. She was the first Filipino with AIDS to publicly discuss her life and her experience living with HIV/AIDS. Cortez responded to a newspaper ad looking for a person living with HIV/AIDS who was willing to have their life serialized in print and later developed into a movie.

Her life story was made into the 1993 Filipino film Dahil Mahal na Mahal Kita (English "Because I Love You: The Dolzura Cortez Story"), directed by Laurice Guillen, screenplay by Ricardo Lee, starring Vilma Santos, Christopher de Leon, Charito Solis, Maila Gumila, Mikee Villanueva, and Jackie Aquino.

Profile Born somewhere in Mindanao, Cortez, through a publicized newspaper story, revealed that at age 14, she first went into a relationship with an army corporal—a married man—"twice her age"; they had three children. She then migrated to Angeles City, Pampanga, where their relationship became complicated. According to the Department of Health she was the 50th person in the country to die of the disease.

Impact Her story was published in the newspaper from August 31 to September 3, 1992. Prior to Cortez, there had been interviews with anonymous Filipinos afflicted with AIDS; yet Cortez even allowed the publication of her picture to inform the public on the effect of the disease.

The story, drawing significant response from the public, helped raise awareness of the disease.

Nevertheless, the number of HIV cases rose since the DOH declared AIDS a notifiable disease in 1986. Between 2010 and 2018, it increased by 203%, the highest in the Asia–Pacific. By mid-2020, the country had reported more than 70,000.

Biographical film OctoArts Films bought the rights for her biographical film,

The film was screened in the Singapore International Film Festival in 2004.

+ Dahil Mahal Kita (The Dolzura Cortez Story) 12th Annual Academy Awards Best Musical Score Nonong Buencamino Best Scriptwriter Ricardo Lee