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'Studies published from 2002 to 2018 show that of every 100 Filipinos experiencing mental health issues, only up to 17 would seek professional help'
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But since coming into law, the creation of various programs and initiatives by the health department, and the COVID-19 pandemic that brought to light how anyone could be affected by psychosocial challenges, Filipinos seem to still have a long way to go in claiming and exercising their rights under this legislation.
Contemplating whether to get checked or treated for mental illness involves a general feeling of shame, loss of face as a Filipino who is supposed to be resilient and self-reliant, and a perceived deviance from social norms where mental illness is still frowned upon . This impacts the utilization of available mental health services .
Every year, thousands of Filipino lives are still lost to suicide; Philippine Statistics Authority data show that from January to December 2022, 3,078 lives were lost to intentional self-harm. For 2020 and 2021, more than 4,000 deaths by suicide among Filipinos were recorded per year.