Dear Sir/Ma’am:

It is understandable that with the Pandemic, all efforts were made to acquiring of equipment, medicines and vaccines to combat COVID-19, and through these efforts the country has come close to the Old Normal before the outbreak of the virus. But an important issue, Mental Health, has been put aside.

With this in mind, might I point out a few things:

• At the height of the Pandemic, there were reported spike of suicides which were later attributed as desperate calls bordering on suicide. The National Task Force appealed to priests to help in combating this spike
• A recent movie, Tililing, had a movie poster which was offensive enough that made fun of mental health sufferers. Even worse, the movie itself propagates the stereotype of how mental health sufferers act
• There have been several high profile cases (including a suicide in Ayala-Trinoma Mall) before the outbreak of the Pandemic. Incidences of suicide attempts through the Rail lines were prevalent
• Depression is the prominent face of Mental Health, and while it is truly a cause for concern, other issues of equal concern, i.e. Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, have not been provided the same sympathy and understanding
• The stigma of Mental Health sufferers is that society adheres to the “Mandaluyong Method”, i.e. Mental Health sufferers deserve to be institutionalized, and being institutionalized in Mandaluyong itself has been a persistent object of mockery
• Despite the ratification of the Mental Health Act, despite the rise in mental health sufferers, and despite the continuing stigma of mental health sufferers from society, there has been no observed action other than the expansion of facilities, adhering to the “Mandaluyong Method”. Where is the education of institutions and schools on Mental Health? Why are there no programs to educate as the same scale as that of Gender Education? Where is the outreach to all communities to provide mental health services, mental health professionals and affordable medication and treatment to all?

I am a concerned citizen seeking clarification on your program, as mental health sufferers still hide in anonymity and suffer in silence. I seek reassurance that the government, while understandably doing all it can to combat the Covid variants, has not forgotten those who have suffered in silence for so long.

Thank you for your time.

(first published in Commentaries)