Amid the increasing mental health problems brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading the creation of a mental wellness center.
House Committee on People’s Participation Chairman Rep. Florida P. Robes said lawmakers approved last Monday House Bill 9980 with 196 in the affirmative with zero negative and no abstention.
In the Philippines, Robes, principal author of the bill, said there is a growing number of Filipinos suffering from mental health issues.
Quoting a report by Frances Prescila Cuevas, head of the National Health Program of the Department of Health (DOH), the lawmaker said at least 3.6 million Filipinos suffer from mental disorders.
The National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) also reported that thousands of Filipinos sought help from NCMH over their mental health issues during this pandemic.
Citing the World Health Organization, Robes noted increased levels of negative impact of the pandemic in the mental health of individuals all over the world.
According to Robes, the mental health center, which will be located in San Jose Del Monte City in Bulacan, is the first of its kind in the country.
Robes said the establishment of the mental health clinic will be funded and managed by the city government of San Jose Del Monte (SJDM) in conjunction with the DOH.
“Mental health has been widely ignored and less prioritized by the government as our country has been considered one of the poorest in terms of mental health resources,” she added.
“The problem of mental health has even been more pronounced as we encounter the many ill-effects of Covid-19 with the lockdowns and social distancing which have prevented us from being with our friends and engaging in personal interactions and connection with other people,” Robes said.
She said the San Jose Del Monte Mental Wellness Center will provide services that include counseling and therapy, crisis counseling and intervention, medication, evaluation and management, group therapy, mindfulness meditation, after-hours care and other psychiatric services.
It will also provide psychotherapy services to patients on a multiple of issues, including the management of difficult emotions, anxiety and stress, childhood trauma, cross cultural issues, life transitions, depression, parenting issues, post-traumatic stress disorder, domestic abuse and family and interpersonal conflicts.
Robes said the city government of SJDM would now prepare a development plan aligned with the Philippine Health Facility Development Plan in consultation with the DOH.
Robes earlier pushed for the creation of mental health desks in local government units to address the worsening mental health issues brought about by the pandemic.
Image credits: Robinson Ninal Jr./Malacañang Presidential Photographers Division via AP