Youth solon to push for declaration of mental health emergency

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MANILA, Philippines — Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel will soon file a House resolution that would push for the declaration of a mental health emergency in the country.

Manuel bared his plan in a news conference on Thursday as he sought for Congress to likewise probe the existing mental health crisis and hasten the passage of laws that would solve this problem.

He cited a Senate hearing held on Wednesday, which revealed an alarming truth that during the Academic Year 2021-2022, a total of 404 young students across the country took their own lives while 2,147 others attempted to do so when most schools were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

READ: Mental health crisis: 404 student suicides in 2021-22 

“In this light, we urge authorities to declare a mental health emergency to give way to immediate and substantial government action to prompt budget and support for mental health professionals and services,” the Makabayan lawmaker said.

Manuel also said the Kabataan Party will file a House resolution calling on the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “to declare a mental health emergency, investigate the existing crisis and expedite policies to address such a crisis.”

Congress, according to the youth solon, should also exercise its sovereign power to check the implementation of the Mental Health Act.

“We also need a serious review on overall education policies especially K to 12 while we ensure 100 percent, face-to-face classes,” he said.

Manuel then vowed to “closely monitor” the Department of Education’s (DepEd) implementation of its education agenda “to ensure the protection of mental health services in school.”

Vice President and DepEd chief Sara Duterte, who presented the Basic Education Report 2023 on Monday, said the department will tweak the K to 12 curriculum after their assessment showed “insufficient knowledge [among teachers] on developing 21st-century skills, including higher-order thinking skills among learners.”

But she clarified that teachers are not at fault for this since “the sad reality is that the system has failed them.” With reports from Kimberly D. Albaño, INQUIRER.net intern

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