A 28-YEAR-OLD personnel of the Philippine Army died due to an apparent suicide in Calbiga, Samar.
Authorities said the victim, an active member of the 20th Infantry Battalion based in Las Navas Northern, Samar, was found hanging on the wooden beam of his house using a nylon cord around 1:40 p.m. Saturday, July 24, 2021.
The victim, a resident of Calbiga, had a live-in partner.
According to the victim’s brother, the 28-year-old soldier had been uttering some suicidal attempts before the incident.
The body of the victim was brought to Calbiga Rural Health Unit for proper disposition.
Meanwhile, Dr. Christian Gloria, former Department Chairman and Associate Professor of Public Health at Hawaii Pacific University and a Balik Scientist of the Philippine Department of Science and Technology, said there is a need to destigmatize mental health in the country.
“We should highlight the resources and help available. Encourage conversation at home, in school, and at work. If someone is struggling, help them find help,” he told Sunstar Philippines.
Amid the ongoing pandemic, Gloria said that “problems and quality of life in the Philippines are only getting worse, so we have to expect that mental health problems are likewise getting worse.”
“Don’t glorify or romanticize the suicide, or it might encourage others. Frame it as a symptom of a societal problem,” he said.
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Individuals suffering from depression and needing such assistance may call HopeLine Hotlines at (02) 804-HOPE (4673); 0917 558 HOPE (4673); and 2919 (toll-free number for all GLOBE and TM subscribers).
(SunStar Philippines)