Gatchalian wants hearing on rising suicide incidents

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

CITING data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian is alarmed by the 74% increase in suicide incidents from 2019 to 2020 and wants an inquiry into the implementation of the Mental Health Act (Republic Act No. 11036).

With the rise in suicide cases, the senator noted that it is now the 28th leading cause of death in the country.

In 2019, suicides only ranked as the 39th leading cause of death in the Philippines.

There were 4,892 recorded cases of death due to intentional self-harm in 2020, surpassing the 2,808 deaths recorded in 2019, Gatchalian noted.

While the preliminary estimated number of suicides for 2022 stood at 2,865, the average number of deaths by suicide rose significantly during and after the pandemic.

From the pre-pandemic annual average of 2,752 recorded from 2017 to 2019, the annual average of deaths by suicide rose to 4,085 from 2020 to 2022, PSA data showed.

Due to this data, Gatchalian, as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, said it is crucial for the government to urgently intervene by improving and investing in mental health services across healthcare, protection, education, and welfare.

He filed Senate Resolution No. 671, which called for a Senate probe into the issue, as he highlighted the significance of COVID-19 as a wake-up call to prioritize public mental health services in the country.

Despite the initiation of national and local mental health programs during the pandemic, a February 2021 policy brief from De La Salle University revealed sporadic efforts and a lack of a comprehensive collaborative approach.

Furthermore, the senator emphasized that learners were not spared from the pandemic’s impact on Filipinos’ mental health.

For School Years 2020-2021 and 20212022, data from the Department of Education (DepEd) showed that 412 learners died by suicide.

In a hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on Health and Demography on May 9, 2023, Gatchalian pointed out that the National Center for Mental Health received 3,125 calls in 2019, 700 of which were suicide-related.

In 2020, the number of calls increased to 11,000, with suicide-related calls rising to 2,800. The number of calls further rose to 14,000 in 2021, 5,000 of which were suiciderelated.

PAPI-KBL DEAL. The presidents of the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI) and the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). PAPI president Nelson Santos (left, seated) and KBL North Luzon vice president, Crisiljefv Garrido, signed the MOU last July 19 at Ningnangan Restaurant in Sta. Maria, Bulacan, which designated the former as the official media partner of the political party. KBL North Luzon will host a press conference on Oct. 20-21, 2023 at the Royce Hotel and Casino in Clark, Pampanga.

Envoy seeks ‘shared ground’ with PH as UK eyes multilateral system reform

By Rey E. Requejo

BRITISH Ambassador to the Philippines

Laure Beaufils said she is looking for a “shared ground” between the United Kingdom and the Philippines that is beneficial to both countries, even as she disclosed the UK’s plan to reform multilateral systems.

In an editorial published on UK’s government website, Beaufils said that since the UK “occupies a privileged place in many multilateral institutions,” it is in “our interest, and our obligation, to improve the effectiveness of the multilateral order.”

“Of course, we can deliver reform only if we work with others. Working multilaterally is also about compromise, and ensuring different perspectives are listened to and inform decisions,” Beaufils said.

“One of the most important aspects of my role as the UK’s ambassador to the Philippines is to listen - to find shared ground for our common benefit,” she added.

The UK diplomat stressed that multilateralism—with institutions such as the United Nations (UN), Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Health Organization (WHO), and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), among others—“is not at odds with national sovereignty and democracy.”

Nonetheless, Beaufils stressed that “its purpose is to protect and reinforce them.”

“In a globally integrated world, our commitment to peace, prosperity, and development hinges on respecting fundamental laws and institutions. Let us work together to reinforce a dynamic and open international order in which all can thrive,” she said.

According to Beaufils, getting multilateral system reforms right will result in “a safer, fairer, healthier and more prosperous world.”

“We have an obligation to future generations to make this happen,” she declared.

Villar: Border control facility to keep ASF out

AFRICAN Swine Flu (ASF) and other diseases detrimental to the country’s agricultural sector can be avoided with the establishment of a border facility to inspect and examine imported meat, fisheries, and other agricultural products entering the Philippines.

Sen. Cynthia Villar, together with Department of Agriculture Usec. Domingo Panganiban and officials of the Department of Agrarian Reform led the groundbreaking ceremony of the Commodity Examination Facility for Agriculture (CEFA) in Angat, Bulacan.

“This is the first, and we hope that we will be at the groundbreaking ceremonies of the other two inspection facilities to be put up in Cebu and Davao,” said Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Food and Agriculture. She said the groundbreaking and memorandum of agreement signing for the establishment of the government’s very first border control facility “is a milestone for our country.”

She said the construction of CEFA, a stateof-the-art facility, is in compliance with the

Food Safety Act of 2013 or Republic Act 10611.

“The lack of adherence to the Food Safety Act of 2013 has led to the inadequate management of the African Swine Fever (ASF) challenge, and created a risk of other diseases in livestock entering the Philippines,” the senator pointed out.

“This compromise on the quality and safety of food products endangers consumer health and undermines the reputation of the agricultural industry,” she added.

With the CEFA that will enforce stricter rules and ensure a thorough examination of agricultural cargo, Villar said the risk of diseases and other potential threats will be minimized. This will contribute to safer food products for consumers and protect public health. Through comprehensive examination and inspection protocols, she said CEFA will be a crucial tool in detecting and preventing the spread of diseases in livestock, reducing the likelihood of outbreaks.

Macon Ramos-Araneta