‘Comprehensive’ mental health program assured for PH military

MANILA, Philippines — Mental health program for all members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is ongoing to prevent stigma on mental health issues among soldiers, the Philippine military said on Tuesday.

In an online press briefing, AFP chief General Gilbert Gapay admitted that they encountered some soldiers who are not willing to share their traumatic experience.

“We studied those cases which we had in the past. The stigma is really na kinikimkim (suppressing) iyong those affected, they don’t want to tell the story or to tell someone about their traumatic experience so, with this trauma risk management program we have, this would encourage people to speak up, air it out, iyong experiences nila,” Gapay said.

Gapay said part of their mental health program is to detect which among all military members, including retired soldiers, had traumatic experiences like “armed encounter with threat groups or local terrorist groups.”

After detecting, he said those with a “high level of mental illness” would be subjected to expert intervention to be brought to hospitals for psychological services.

Gapay added that they collaborate with other agencies to help “progress and prosper” the AFP’s mental health programs.

The most prevalent mental illness among soldiers is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Gapay also said.

An example of a PTSD case was retired Army soldier Corporal Winston Ragos, who was shot dead at a quarantine checkpoint in Quezon City.

Ragos was confined four times to a military hospital to treat his mental illness.

The mental health issue among security forces floated in the wake of Senior Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca, who murdered his neighbors in Tarlac.

PNP chief Police General Debold Sinas said they are looking into consulting the neuropsychiatric doctors to determine or study police personnel’s anger management. [ac]