Senator Imee Marcos called for immediate government action to address the country’s mental health crisis on Friday, urging lawmakers to pass her bill aimed at establishing free, accessible, community-based mental health care.

In a statement marking World Mental Health Day, Marcos stressed that mental health services must reach the most vulnerable, including the young and the poor, emphasizing that “mental health is not a luxury, it is a basic right.”

The senator cited that rising costs, frequent disasters and poverty are contributing to widespread stress and depression among Filipinos.

Marcos is the author of Senate Bill No. 1171, or the Philippine Mental Health Act amendments, which seeks to establish free community-based mental health centers in every province, city and town cluster. These centers would provide treatment, staffing and facilities funded by the national government, prioritizing minors, the homeless and victims of abuse.

The country faces a severe shortage of mental health professionals. The Philippine Psychiatric Association reports that the country has only 651 psychiatrists, 516 psychiatric nurses and 133 psychologists — far below the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 10 psychiatrists per 100,000 people. By contrast, the Philippines has only two psychiatrists for every 100,000 mental health patients.

Citing surveys from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Marcos also noted that Filipino youth rank among the most affected by mental health issues in the region.