Project Headshot Clinic and The Red Whistle captures portraits of change with ‘Amorphous’ series

Every year, December 1st calls the world’s attention to World AIDS Day (WAD), but in the Philippines, this day carries a unique and urgent weight. While global trends in new HIV infections have been falling, the Philippines faces the fastest-growing HIV epidemic in the Western Pacific. This alarming reality transforms WAD from a general observance into a critical local call to action, demanding not just awareness, but a fundamental change in our national conversation.

For 18 years, two creative forces has consistently met this challenge head-on: The Red Whistle and Project Headshot Clinic. Led and established by conceptual photographer Niccolo Cosme, their annual World AIDS Day campaign has transformed Filipino celebrities, artists, and advocates into powerful visual messengers.

The project began in 2008 and has consistently raised awareness about the growing issue of HIV in the Philippines through stunning yet thought-provoking photography. This year, they mark their 18th anniversary with the campaign “Amorphous.”

Just like love, The Red Whistle and Project Headshot Clinic’s advocacy takes many shapes. Headshot Clinic Amorphous, their 18th World AIDS Day Campaign, is in collaboration with the world-renowned fashion designer, Rajo Laurel.

Inspired by Rajo’s artistic and sculptural art piece, Headshot Clinic Amorphous visualizes the many shapes and forms of HIV advocacy. Amorphous is a metaphor for the movement itself – a movement that adapts, evolves, and persists. A movement shaped by all of us.

“Pasok na pasok siya doon sa advocacy ng HIV because the advocacy’s shape does change because the current situation of HIV also changes, and it’s important that the shape of the advocacy also changes form,” Cosme said.

Evidently, Project Headshot Clinic uses the idea of being amorphous to dismantle rigid, harmful stereotypes surrounding HIV. The campaign champions the truth that a single, stigmatizing label cannot confine people living with or affected by HIV. Through striking, unfiltered portraits, “Amorphous” visually insists that the fight against AIDS is complex, ever-changing, and requires a response that is flexible, compassionate, and inclusive.

The strength of this campaign lies in the powerful testimonies of its participants, who are not just subjects in a photo but vocal advocates for change.

This year’s campaign also honors the legacy of Wanggo Gallaga, who was instrumental in shaping the voice and direction of Project Headshot Clinic during its early years. His openness, his clarity, and his fearless advocacy helped guide our messaging and grounded our work in compassion and truth. His impact continues to echo in every campaign we create.

Shot at Midnight Dream Studio through the creative direction of Niccolo Cosme, and brought to life visually with the collaboration of Rajo Laurel, Amorphous merges portraiture, movement, and fashion to explore how each individual carries resilience within them.

Joining the call for HIV awareness are some of the equally powerful voices in the Philippine entertainment industry like Jeazell “Zelle” Grutas and Markki Stroem.

“Sexual health is not a shame. It’s responsibility, it’s protection, it’s love,” said Zelle, who is widely known for her strong vocals that she lent to Gloc-9’s hit “Upuan,” and her own original composition, “Sabihin.”

“Every year on December 1, we celebrate the progress from years in advance to now, where we are growing as not just a nation but a world, or the universe rather, to create a safer space for everyone, not just the LGBTQIA+ community, but everyone, and I feel that we need to celebrate this,” said Stroem, a Filipino-Norwegian actor-singer who gained initial recognition as a finalist on the first season of Pilipinas Got Talent and the 4th runner-up for Mr. Universe 2024.

Meanwhile, Sharmaine Rodriguez, a content creator who uses her platform to foster positive conversations, has an impactful call to action.

“I think the most powerful thing we can do right now is to stop the silence and end the stigma. Educate yourself, get tested, and choose compassion. When we choose to see people, not labels, we don’t just stop a virus from spreading—we stop prejudice,” she said.

Ultimately, “Amorphous” is a declaration of modern hope and a demand for a rights-based response.

“‘Wag po natin ikahiya magpa-test at ‘wag po natin ikahiya na makipag-usap o pag-usapan ang mga issues involving sexual health,” Cosme advised.

By giving faces and stories to the campaign, PHC empowers everyday readers to choose compassion over fear and to understand that ending AIDS is about protecting human rights, one person at a time, until the epidemic in the Philippines is finally put to rest.