More holistic approach to protect Pinoys’ mental health – Sen. Bong Go

by cecille Suerte Felipe Philstar.com

MANILA — Sen. Bong Go remains firm in advocating for greater government interventions that will effectively address mental health issues, expressing his concern over the spike of suicide cases in the country, particularly at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In separate ambush interviews in Orion, Bataan and Valenzuela City on Friday, February

3, and Saturday, February

4, respectively, Go, who chairs the Senate committee on health and demography, underscored the gravity of mental health problems and its impact on communities, especially the youth.

Based on studies, rates of suicide cases nationwide have drastically increased in past decades, especially among the youth. Because of this, the senator filed Senate Bill 1786, which mandates public higher education institutions (HEIs) to establish mental health offices, including the hiring, deployment and training of additional HEIbased mental health service personnel.

Out of the 28 million student population in public schools in 2021, 404 youths committed suicide; 2,147 attempted suicide; 775,962 sought guidance counseling, 8,000 of whom are victims of bullying, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).

“According to studies, reported suicide rates are rising. Since the pandemic started, many have been depressed. Not only students, but also our OFWs because of being quarantined, away from their families… It’s saddening. This needs to be addressed,” Go said in English and Filipino.

“From my end, I’ve filed Senate Bill 1786, which mandates public higher education institutions to establish mental health facilities.

This means that counselors should focus on schools because we need to care for many of our students. They may be depressed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The more that we should focus on this,” he added.

The mental health offices shall set up campus hotlines with dedicated and trained guidance counselors to provide assistance to the whole HEI community, especially students.

The bill also stated that special attention shall be given to those identified to have mental health problems or conditions, especially those at risk of committing suicide.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the public HEIs, through their mental health offices, shall then initiate and sustain a heightened campaign to raise public consciousness about mental health.

Still in line with his advocacy to support Filipino children’s psychological well-being, Go supported fellow Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian’s measure that, parallel to his bill, aims to establish mental health and well-being centers in every public school.

Go serves as co-author of Gatchalian’s SB 379, or the proposed Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act, which will provide mental health services, emotional, developmental and preventive programs and other support services.

Meanwhile, Sen. Francis Escudero on Tuesday, February 7 said the Department of Health (DOH) should lead a nationwide study on suicide cases among students to enable the government to get a bigger picture of the current mental health state of Filipinos.

Alarmed over reports of suicide cases among students, Escudero, who chairs the Senate committee on higher, technical and vocational education, said a comprehensive study is needed to have a holistic and effective approach to addressing the problem in general.

“The data we have found is not enough. This is my call: the DOH should look at the current mental health situation in our country, not only among students – elementary, high school or college – but also among ordinary Filipinos from various sectors, whether employed or unemployed. It is important to get those data, so that we will know how to remedy or solve this problem,” he added in Filipino and English.

The Bicolano senator noted that the move would also supplement the recent survey conducted by the DepEd on the effects of the pandemic on the mental health of elementary and high school students.