Philippine Mental Health law: What you need to know

Just last month, President Rodrigo Duterte has signed the landmark Mental Health Law, which would provide affordable and accessible mental health services for Filipinos.

So, what is this law really all about and how can it help us, millennials?

According to Senator Risa Hontiveros, who co-authored the measure together with Senators Loren Legarda, Antonio Trillanes IV, Paolo Begino Aquino IV, Juan Edgardo Angara, Joel Villanueva, and Senate President Vicente Sotto III, the law aims to help “Filipinos suffering silently in the dark.”

It can be noted that the Mental Health Law would secure the rights and welfare of persons with mental health needs and mental health professionals; provide mental health services down to the barangays; integrate psychiatric, psychosocial, and neurologic services in regional, provincial, and tertiary hospitals; improve mental healthcare facilities; and promote mental health education in schools and workplaces.

This is very beneficial especially for the young ones who are also in need of effective mental health measures. Seven years ago, the World Health Organization released a study that showed 17 percent of Filipino students aged 13 to 15 had “seriously considered attempting suicide during the past 12 months.” That same study also concluded that 13 percent had “actually attempted suicide one or more times during the past 12 months.”

Now, the Department of Health counts some 3.3 million Filipinos suffering from depression (not including the unreported cases). Of course, there is also bipolar disorder, dementia, schizophrenia, anxiety, body dysmorphic disorder, OCD, paranoia and literally dozens of others that are caused by several possibilities that range from genetic, biological, psychological and environmental.

It’s also important to mention that following the signing of the law, Angara renewed his call to PhilHealth to extend its coverage to mental health treatment.

“While such enactment is a huge step in making mental health care more affordable, accessible and equitable, we renew our call to PhilHealth to cover fees for psychiatric consultations and medicines, as early intervention and prevention is crucial in treating mental illness,” he said in a statement.

He noted that under the Mental Health Act, PhilHealth must “ensure that insurance packages equivalent to those covering physical disorders of comparable impact are available to patients affected by mental disorders.”

“Currently, PhilHealth only covers hospitalization brought about by acute attacks of mental and behavioral disorders at a package rate of P7,800. We hope that in the drafting of the IRR, free psychiatric consultations and medicines shall be made available for all Filipinos,” Angara said.

While we’re a little late in the game, at least we’re in it. Right, guys?