Segundo Matias Jr. releases powerful sequel Stigma: Batang Poz 2

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Award-winning author Segundo Matias Jr. has released Stigma: Batang Poz 2, the much-anticipated sequel to his groundbreaking 2018 novel Mga Batang Poz, continuing his mission to raise awareness on HIV and fight stigma through literature.

In Stigma: Batang Poz 2, fifteen-year-old Melody joins a group chat called “Pete’s Corner,” a digital refuge for young people like her, teenagers living with HIV. As her pregnancy becomes more visible, she must face the weight of stigma while finding strength in the stories of other poz youth, including the familiar characters from the first book. The follow-up explores survival, solidarity, connection, and the search for hope in the midst of the HIV-AIDS crisis in the Philippines.

Matias adds, “Melody, the new character, is especially important to me. If her story reaches video, there is so much within her journey that viewers can learn from. Through Melody’s experiences, the novel discusses both teenage pregnancy and living with HIV.”

A sequel that challenges as it confronts

As the first young adult novel about HIV-AIDS in the Philippines, Stigma: Batang Poz 2 has been hailed as a landmark contribution to both literature and public health, one that challenges prejudice and calls for compassion in the age of social media and digital connection. The first Batang Poz novel received critical acclaim for its courageous and truthful portrayal of living with HIV, later inspiring a powerful 2019 iWant miniseries starring Paolo Gumabao, Mark Neumann, and Awra Briguela. The sequel seeks not only to shed light on the lived experiences of People Living with HIV-AIDS (PLHIV) but also to remind us of the importance of empathy, understanding, and solidarity in combating discrimination.

Stigma: Batang Poz 2 also delivers engaging and practical information on sexual health and empowerment. “The discussions in this book are deeper and more technical,” shares Matias. “In Stigma, I made it a point to provide clear guidance on staying safe. I want to highlight the importance of PrEP and consistently advocating condom use for protection. While the first book conveyed the horrors surrounding HIV, the second installment focuses on empowerment and dismantling stigma.”

Early praise for Stigma: Batang Poz 2

The novel has garnered advanced praise from notable critics, writers, and advocates in the Philippines.

Internationally acclaimed essayist and winner of the Curt Johnson Prose Award for Nonfiction, Wifredo Pascual commends Matias’ masterful craftmanship, noting his skill in crafting “solid and meaningful” scenes. “His sharp eye in choosing the most telling detail is critical in bringing this to light. It’s urgent. And it’s a question worth asking ourselves as readers. How far are we willing to go to get to the source of our discomfort and denial?”

Multi-awarded poet, scholar, and teacher Charlie Samuya-Veric, celebrates Matias’ commitment to making “courageous writing contagious.” He explains, “With Stigma: Batang Poz 2, Segundo Matias, Jr. departs completely from the fantastical concerns of Moymoy Lulumboy and takes his readers close to what they would otherwise deny: their deepest fears and most unacknowledged prejudices. Matias’s courage is enabling. He provides his audience with a different experience and creates a new horizon for YA writers who may not yet have the will, or wherewithal, to explode social taboos.”

Mark Angeles, award-winning author of Gagambeks, also praises the book for widening the conversations around subjects often deemed controversial and taboo. “Binuksan sa atin ng Mga Batang Poz ang makulay na mundo ng mga alter—isang produkto ng immersion ng awtor sa internet subculture na ito.”

Matias hopes the sequel will empower readers, especially young adults, to face the world’s challenges with courage and clarity. “Health hubs have told me that more people are getting tested because they read Mga Batang Poz,” shares Matias. “That alone makes me happy. For a writer like me, being able to convey a meaningful message through one’s work is already a victory.”

Segundo Matias, Jr.’s Stigma: Batang Poz will be available soon.

Segundo Matias, Jr., is an award-winning writer, storyteller, and publisher. He holds a master’s degree in Creative Writing from the University of the Philippines and has received multiple literary awards, including three honors from the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature: Paper Dolls (2016, Third Prize – Essay), Alamat ng Duhat (2011, First Prize – Short Story for Children), and Loida: Taxi Driver (1991, Honorable Mention – Teleplay).

He is a writing fellow of the UP Institute of Creative Writing and a member of Ricky Lee’s Writers Studio. Segundo has written more than fifty children’s stories. Among his most notable works are Moymoy Lulumboy: Ang Batang Aswang (Best Young Adult Book, The Severino Reyes Medal 2024; Top 10 Books of 2014 by the Philippine Daily Inquirer), Moñito, Ang Mabait na Demonyo (Shortlist, 6th National Children’s Book Awards), Angelica, Ang Multo sa Balete Drive (Shortlist, 6th National Children’s Book Awards), Uncle Sam (Finalist, 4th National Children’s Book Awards; Kids’ Choice Awards Winner), Ang Papag ni Tatang (Honorable Mention, PBBY Salanga 2012), Kuwentong Nanay (a series of books about mothers, also translated into Spanish), and Mga Batang Poz (a novel about four adolescents living with HIV, later adapted into an iWant miniseries).

His work in children’s literature eventually led him to become a storyteller for the Knowledge Channel’s television program, Kuwento ni Kuya Jun. Before entering the world of book writing and publishing, Segundo was already recognized for his contributions as a writer for both television and film.