NATION

DOH mental health hotline gets nearly 1k calls during holiday season

Gabriela Baron · Jan 3, 2026, 9:47 PM

PUBLIC cooperation, security measures, and firecracker crackdown lead to peaceful New Year celebrations. — Daily Tribune images.

A total of 961 callers contacted the Department of Health (DOH)'s Mental Health Hotline at the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) from 21 December to 2 January.

The number of callers increased on December 30, with relationship problems or love life, anxiety, and depressive symptoms being the main reasons for calling.

The department's surveillance will continue until 5 January and mental health hotlines will remain open.

The NCMH earlier said that its crisis hotline is open 24/7 with no holidays.

The hotline numbers are 1553 (toll-free nationwide landline) or 0919-0571553 and 0917-8998727.