QUEZON City 5th District Rep. PM Vargas on Sunday joined members of the Lower House in prioritizing mental health issues, as they pass on third reading the State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) Mental Health Service Act or House Bill (HB) No. 6416.

“We must be part of a society which aims to reduce the entrenched stigma and discrimination on people with mental health problems. One way to effectively do this is to start with the young minds that we are shaping in universities, wherein pressures and influences are coming from all sorts,” Vargas said.

The Department of Health (DoH) estimates that there are over 3 million Filipinos facing mental health issues including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder and data from the Department of Education reports 404 incidents of suicide by students with a staggering 2,147 suicide attempts in the school year 2021-2022 alone.

The lawmaker initially filed HB 5925 or Campus Mental Health Act, which primarily aims to increase access to mental health services among college students.

It shall provide the necessary support to successfully complete their studies through efforts such as establishment of College Campus Task Force to discuss mental and behavioral health concerns in campuses.

This version of the bill was first filed by his brother and predecessor former Congressman and Councilor Alfred Vargas during the 18th Congress.

Vargas, in commemoration of Mental Health Awareness Month, also pushed for additional measures addressing mental health and well-being such as HB 2789, An Act Granting Immediate Compensation Benefits for Mental Health Service Users Amending RA 11036 and HB 6574 or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act.

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Ryan Ponce Pacpaco