Cagayan De Oro City Representative Rufus Rodriguez urged the government to hire more psychiatrists, guidance counselors, psychologists, and mental health professionals to help Filipinos cope with the mental concerns brought by the COVID-19 crisis.
“This prolonged pandemic is adversing affecting the mental health of tens of thousands if not millions among us,” Rodriguez said.
“Worries of being sick with covid, no work, no food or less food to eat, being unable to go outdoors, pressure to earn for the family, sickness in the family, depressing news of friends infected with and dying of covid, unable to continue school, inability to get physical comfort from friends and relatives — all these result in deteriorating mental health of our people,” he added.
Moreover, the lawmaker also noted, “the uncertainty of when this infectious virus wreaking havoc on our lives will go away.”
Rodriguez appealed to the national government as well as local government units to set up counseling programs for people with psychological problems.
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In July 2019, he filed House Bill 2732, which aims to construct more mental health facilities and hire more personnel.
The bill mandates that each public elementary and secondary school should have at least three counselors, one psychologist, and one social worker.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, meanwhile, called on churches and spiritual leaders to give counsel and guidance to their members who are experiencing mental health problems amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Archdiocese of Manila Apostolic Administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo on Sunday noted that the Catholic Church was committed to helping members fight mental health issues.
In July, a doctor said Filipinos are now in the ‘disillusionment phase’ or the point of emotional low four months after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began.
Dr. Gia Sison said in an episode of “Quarantined with Howie Severino” that the COVID-19 is also affecting people’s mental health.