THE Philippine Mental Health Association (PMHA) Bacolod-Negros Occidental Chapter is turning 39 years old on Thursday. The PMHA was conceptualized in 1967 but was formally organized on June 25, 1976.
Dr. Patricio Tan, then medical director of the Riverside Medical Center (now Dr. Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital), and also the governor of Rotary District 3850, and Atty. Salustario Fernandez, PMHA National Board and co-chair of the Extension Committee, invited key representatives from different sectors of society to organize a PMHA chapter in Negros Occidental.
The first meeting was held on June 19, 1976 at the Riverside Medical Center. Present in the meeting were Atty. Roberto Soberano, Dr. Augusto Gustilo, Dr. Antonio Gauzon, Mrs. Eufemia Octaviano, Dr. Antonio Sarabia, Mrs. Celia Magalona, Major Rolen Erasmo, Mrs. Rosita Montañez, Mr. Conrado Diola, Ms. Louise Millam and Lt. Nerio Valerio.
Another meeting was held with other representatives from the city and provincial governments, military, sugar central and the Division of City Schools on June 25, 1976 and they chose 15 members of the PMHA Board of Management.
The board of management convened on July 1, 1976 and elected Dr. Patricio Y. Tan as the first chairperson of the PMHA Bacolod Board of Management. Dr. Augusto Gustilo became the second chairperson on February 16, 1977. Since then, there had been eight chairpersons, with the late Ms. Gloria Tajanlangit as the immediate past chairperson.
PMHA has grown since then with the full support of the then governor and later Bacolod mayor Alfredo Montelibano Jr. Its main role was and still is to promote mental health to the highest level and prevent mental disorders.
PMHA started operating the Negros Occidental Mental Health Center (NOMHC) in Paglaum Village on December 4, 1987 with the initial funding coming from the provincial government during the administration of then governor Daniel Lacson Jr. Additional funding came from parents, well-meaning friends and Montelibano.
Most patients admitted at the NOMHC were psychiatric and drug related cases. The center was able to accommodate a maximum of 30. In 2003, PMHA turned over the NOHMC to the City of Bacolod, during the administration of former mayor Joy Valdez.
One significant accomplishment of the PMHA Chapter is acquiring the PMHA Building after hopping from one office to another. The lot was offered by the provincial government of Negros Occidental under the administration of the governor Rafael “Lito” Coscolluela. The Provincial Capito and PMHA signed a Deed of Usufruct for the use of the property for 50 years on August 8, 1998.
PMHA continuously operates through its primary program, the Education and Information Services. Lectures on mental health and issues were given to the different sectors. The chapter organized the Youth Life Enrichment Program (YLEP) for its youth partners through its implementing arms, Lusog Isip ng Kabataan (LINK) Club in high schools in Bacolod City and Silay City in 2009, and the Psychological Societies Association on Mental Health (PSAMH) in universities and colleges in Bacolod in 2014.
PMHA has linked with the government, people and other non- government organizations. Membership is strongly encouraged for all friends, partners and benefactors. Psychiatrists, doctors, nurses, psychologists, educators, guidance counselors and students are the majority of our members and volunteers.
Media coverage has been strengthened. Partnership with Radyo Veritas has been strongly established as regular monthly guests in its “Tatak Negrense” program with Ms. Chona Gosiaoco as the host. PMHA is also a “suki” of ABS-CBN Bacolod’s ”The Morning Show” and and the defunct Isyu Subong Negrense of GMA TV. The social media has also been a great source of information dissemination.
Aside from being the chapter executive manager of PMHA Bacolod-Negros Occidental, I also write this column “A Sound Mind” to discuss about mental health issues.
The Clinical and Diagnostic Services, the secondary program of PMHA, has moved forward with an increasing number of clients for psychiatric consultation. The office has also received requests for Psycho-Social Processing.
On December 13, 2012, Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. and the late Gloria Tajanlangit signed a MOA with the Provincial Health Office(PHO) to bring mental health services to the community. This is a psychiatric mission to the different district hospitals in Negros Occidental. The PHO and PMHA have been to Valladolid District Hospital, Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital (Silay), Cadiz District Hospital and Gov. Valeriano Gatuslao Memorial Hospital (Himamaylan).
On June 26, 2015, the team will be at the Lorenzo D. Zayco District Hospital (Kabankalan). Another psych mission in Don Salvador Benedicto, Escanlante, Toboso and Calatrava (D’bEsTCa) area is planned in October during the National Mental Health Month.
We are eternally grateful for our board members (past and present), benefactors, partners, members and volunteers who have been with us for 39 years… and counting.
The future looks brighter for the chapter as more Negrenses become aware of the importance of a sound mind.
If you need our services, just contact PMHA at 433-8868.