Solon seeks to address hike in suicide incidents
HOUSE committee on social service and Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas on Monday expressed concern over the alarming increase in suicide incidents during the pandemic, after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported a 57 percent rise in the country’s suicide rate in 2020.
Citing the PSA report, Vargas said suicide incidents jumped from the 31st slot in 2019 to 25th as the leading cause of death in 2020. A total of 4,420 suicide deaths were reported in 2020 compared to 2,810 in 2019. Vargas said these figures “reveal the underlying gaps” in the implementation of the National Mental Health Act.
“These must be addressed immediately and conscientiously” by the Department of Health (DoH) and other related agencies through pro-active and accessible programs and services, he said.
In House Resolution (HR) No. 2312, Vargas is asking Congress to look deeper into the increase in suicides as well as mental health issues during the pandemic “with the intention of addressing this alarming social concern, assessing and strengthening the implementation of the Mental Health Act, and promoting the well-being and general welfare of the Filipino people.”
“Amidst the aggravated challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the government must explore and employ the best strategies to address the mental health situation of the public, and provide proactive, accessible, and affordable services and programs for all,” the Vargas resolution said.
Aside from the increase in suicides in 2020, Vargas also cited a report from the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) of a huge spike in the number of calls received by its hotlines since the economic lockdowns were enforced. These calls were “mostly anxiety-related concerns,” the NCHM said.
Vargas also noted that a Philippine World Health Organization (WHO) Special Initiative for Mental Health report conducted in early 2020 revealed that at least 3.6 million Filipinos suffer from one kind of mental, neurological, and substance use disorder.
“This alarming social concern greatly affects a huge number of the population,” he said.
While Republic Act (RA) No. 11036 or the Mental Health Act contains provisions for services for those with mental health conditions, Vargas said even the Health Secretary has acknowledged the urgent need to expand services and assistance.
“Apart from the statistics on the mental health situation of the country, stakeholders must also be provided with necessary and relevant reports on the allocation of the budget for mental health programs and the implementation of the National Strategic Plan of the Mental Health Act,” the Vargas resolution said.
