Palace hopeful Mental Health Law will help erase stigma

MANILA, Philippines — The Mental Health Law, enacted this week, shows President Rodrigo Duterte’s commitment to providing accessible and affordable mental health care and services to Filipinos, Malacañang said Thursday.

“We hope this policy will help neutralize the stigma attached to mental illness,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

Duterte on Wednesday signed the Republic Act 11036. Advocates like Sen. Risa Hontiveros, principal author of the bill at the Senate, hailed the passage of the landmark law as it would protect the rights and welfare of people with mental health conditions, shift focus of care to the community and improve access to services.

“It forms part of the government’s mandate to design and implement a national mental health program and integrate this as part of the health information system, among others,” Roque said.

He added that implementing a universal mental healthcare system in the country would provide more awareness on mental health among Filipinos.

Figures from the World Health Organization showed that more than 300 million people worldwide are suffering from depression.

According to the Global School-Based Student Health Survey of 2015, 17 percent of high school students in the Philippines aged 12 to 15 said they had attempted suicide at least once.