Philippine Mental Health Bill

The Senate Bill No. 1345 aims for the proper human treatment and respect for the inherent
dignity of the human person, for the every people to have the best available mental health care,
an access to a quality treatment information they need regarding on their disorder. “To live and
work in the community, to the extend possible”, access to their own medical records,
confidentiality of their information. This also includes access to their carers, right to express civil,
political, economic, social, and cultural rights and should their records be withheld, the person of
legal representative may contest this before an internal review body or the Commission on Human
Rights.

According to MentalHealth.gov, “Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and

social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle
stress, relate to others, and make choices.” Mental health disorders has always been a very
significant problem yet the most ignored one in our society. These disorders are affecting the lives
of many people, whether you are a celebrity or not you are no safe from suffering on mental health
problems. Celebrities such as Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, Chester Bennington of Linkin Park and
many Filipino citizens whom cases were aired in the television have committed suicide because
of depression they have experienced. It is not just “all in your head” or someone’s alibis because
he or she is seeking for attention and it is not as simple as it look like.

Mental health is now the world’s biggest social problem. In the Philippines, there are only
60 psychiatric health care facilities and the National Center for Mental Health located in
Mandaluyong City is the largest government-owned hospital that provides mental health care
services that has a bed capacity of 4, 200. There are 3.3 million Filipinos who suffer from
depressive disorder, 3.1 million for anxiety disorder and 2, 558 reported suicide cases. Research
also says that 8 out of 10 suicide cases were males. In ASEAN countries, Philippines’ 2012
suicide rate of 2.9 per 100, 00 which is the lowest compared to Myanmar with 13.1 per 100, 000
according to Reyes and Gonzales in 2017.

Most of the Filipinos tend to self-diagnose thinking that they will eventually get through it.
Sometimes, the people who are suffering from mental health problems choose not to get a proper
medical treatment because if they do, they are afraid of the findings or they will think what people
would say to them. Most of the people’s impression on someone who suffers on mental health
problem is they are crazy, insane, mentally deranged and other similar words. People would mind
your business as if it was theirs.

If the bill would be approved, it would be a very big help to the compatriots who experience
mental health disorders. Personal counselling and treatment cost too much; but Filipinos being
too penny-wise instead of getting the proper medication, they will just spend their money for their
everyday needs. With the Mental Health Act of 2017, the government will provide mental health
services in the public health system that will be available for everyone. It will also protect the
citizens from discrimination; a very significant example of this is Eat Bulaga’s host, Joey De Leon
who negligently stated, "Yung depression, gawa-gawa lang ng mga tao iyan. Gawa nila sa sarili
nila." which gained hate comments regarding on his statement. The confidentiality of their
information will help them against discrimination too since many people think that people who
suffers from mental disorders tend to attack other people but the fact is it is themselves who they
harm. With these dilemma, the discrimination and stigma worsen someone’s mental health
problems and it also can trap people in a cycle of illness.

Mental health issue is a very serious concern that most of the people is neglecting and it
is not as easy as they think. The Mental Health Act of 2017 is the first of it’s kind although it is still
not a law. It must be approved immediately because there are many citizens who are suffering. It
would be a big help not only to their health but also to their budget. The Philippines is very
outdated when it comes to this issue but if the Mental Health Act would be executed, we are
expecting for the proper implementation and the proper care that our fellow citizens need; we are
hoping for the rate of suicide cases be lower than before.