We live in an age where kindness trends. Our feeds are fueled by one long post after the other about self-care, hot takes on social issues, reflections wrapped as life lessons. Lately, reminders to “check on our friends” have dominated our timelines—after all, October is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to turn quiet pain into conversation.
Not long ago, a social media personality who used her platform to talk about her mental health struggles became the target of online ridicule. She shared her journey with honesty, hoping to break the stigma, yet the same platform that once celebrated her vulnerability turned against her. Cruel words. Baseless allegations. Mockery from people hiding behind locked and dummy accounts.
She is no longer here — a quiet loss that reminds us how desperately the world needs real kindness, not just the kind we post about. Because it is never as simple as turning off comments or blocking accounts, as what other people think as easy-patch solutions.
Our Philippine laws put protection in place for mental health through the Mental Health Act or Republic Act 11036, which upholds the rights of every Filipino to access mental health services, free from stigma and discrimination.
Yet despite this legal safeguard, mental health remains one of the most underfunded sectors in the country. Based on a study, it was reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health that mental health remains a poorly resourced sector of healthcare in the country despite the Mental Health policy that was enacted early in the 2000s. Only three-five percent of the total health budget is spent on mental health, and the majority of this is spent on the operation and maintenance of psychiatric hospitals. Globally, mental health issues affect one in four individuals at some point in their lives, according to the WHO in 2022.
The law envisions a shift toward community-based care to make mental health services more accessible, holistic, and grounded in understanding rather than isolation. It also mandates the integration of mental health education and support, such as training for guidance counselors, into schools and workplaces to encourage early intervention and reduce stigma.
Some pertinent provisions of the Mental Health Act include Section 5, which mandates the implementation of national and local suicide prevention strategies, particularly targeting youth populations. Some strategies come in the form of school-based mental health screenings, teacher training for recognizing warning signs, and youth outreach campaigns that focus on emotional literacy and coping strategies.
Section 6 of the Act mandates that appropriate psychosocial support from the relevant government agencies shall be established. This includes the establishment and maintenance of 24/7 mental health hotlines to provide immediate support for individuals in crisis. The most prominent example is the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, managed by the National Center for Mental Health, which offers voice, text, and chat-based support services to ensure that help is always within reach. Organizations like Hopeline Philippines, Mind You Philippines, and other local initiatives likewise continue to offer lifelines for those in distress.
The law further highlights that the State is mandated to provide timely, affordable, and quality mental health care at all levels of the health system, from hospitals down to barangay health centers. This is done through a coordinated institutional oversight led by the Philippine Council for mental health.
But laws, no matter how progressive, are only as strong as their implementation. Challenges arise when the implementation is uneven across regions like in far-flung areas and marginalized sectors. Not to mention the other challenges, which include the stigma, limited funding, workforce shortages, and weak monitoring systems. In many areas, mental health remains a whispered topic, and counseling services are scarce or expensive for many citizens. Addressing the challenges of the legislation requires long-term investment, decentralization of authority, and inclusive governance.
In a way, intention is key here. Policy intention builds systems; human intention saves lives.
The success of the Mental Health Act hinges on the ability of national and local actors to work together to deliver responsive, community-based mental health care that truly serves every Filipino.
The greater work lies in us, in how we speak, listen, and choose compassion over cruelty. It lies in creating spaces, both online and offline, where individuals are seen not as stories to comment on, but as lives to care for.