Kumusta na ba? Ateneo Policy Center researcher tackles Mental Health Act implementation and gaps in the Philippines

On November 8, 2024, Ateneo Policy Center researcher Melissa Prieto discussed the Mental Health Act of 2018 at “Kumusta na Ba?: Mental Health in the Philippines”, an educational discussion organized by UP PsychSoc Social Issues Team, held at the University of the Philippines Diliman.

Prieto presented the findings of the working paper titled “Mental Health in the Philippines: A Policy Challenge”, co-authored with Atty. Michael Dela Peña, Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go, Ms. Lilibeth Aristorenas, and Mr. Bryan Daowan. The study examines the implementation of the Mental Health Act, identifying the law’s developments and challenges and the roles of national and local governments. 

Among the established mental health programs in the Philippines include telemental health services, psychological first aid, counseling services, and mental health ordinances. However, there remains no evidence of the effectiveness of these initiatives in improving the mental health of Filipinos. Challenges include lack of prioritization and insufficient budget for the mental health agenda, fragmentation of health services, absence of community-based guidelines, inadequacy of mental health facilities and personnel, and weak political will among lawmakers. 

The presentation concludes by stating that while mental health is increasingly being normalized in the public discourse, the crisis itself should not be. The mental health crisis therefore cannot be divorced from demanding accountability.

This engagement is part of the Ateneo School of Government’s efforts to partake in advancing the vision of a safe, happy, and mentally healthy Filipino population.