Go pushes enhanced mental health services

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, chairperson of the Committee on Health, manifested his support to a bill he also filed and authored that seeks to strengthen mental health services in State Universities and Colleges across the Philippines.

He underscored the urgency of addressing mental health concerns, which have long been sidelined, with a notable lack of awareness and accessible support systems contributing to a rising trend in mental health crises among students.

“Mental health disorders are often overlooked, with many failing to recognize the signs and symptoms. This has been a major problem for every individual, especially for students,” stated Go.

Senate Bill 2598, known as the SUCs Mental Health Services Act which was primarily authored by Senator Jinggoy Estrada, seeks to establish Mental Health Offices in every SUC campus to offer comprehensive support and intervention for students, faculty, and staff.

These measures are a response to the alarming statistics indicating a significant number of public school learners engaging in suicidal behavior, compounded by the mental strain inflicted by the Covid-19 pandemic on Filipino youth.

“Formal psychological help-seeking behavior is estimated at only 22.17 percent among Filipinos,” Go noted, highlighting the critical barriers to accessing mental health care.

He further elaborated on the grim figures of suicide within the educational sphere, with over 400 learners taking their own lives in 2021 and thousands more attempting suicide.

Meanwhile, Go emphasized the critical need for enhanced infrastructure and services across the country, highlighting his support for multiple initiatives in the Mountain Province.

This includes his efforts as vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance for funding the initial three phases of a project to upgrade roads, pathways, and drainage systems within Bauko town.

Governor Bonifacio Lacwasan Jr. expressed his gratitude to Go for his substantial support to the province. The governor highlighted Go’s support for funding Phases 1 to 3 of the improved roads, pathways and drainage systems extending from Sitio Cotcot in Poblacion Bauko to Barangays Abatan and Bagnen.