Amid a concerning surge in suicide deaths in recent years, Senator Win Gatchalian has taken action by filing a resolution calling for a Senate inquiry into the implementation of the Mental Health Act (Republic Act No. 11036).
Expressing the urgency of addressing the potential mental health pandemic, Gatchalian stressed the need for the government to ensure sufficient mental health services.
"Dahil nakikita natin ang banta ng pagkakaroon ng mental health pandemic, mahalagang tiyakin ng ating pamahalaan ang pagkakaroon ng sapat na mental health services kasabay ng paghahatid ng serbisyong pangkalusugan, proteksyon, edukasyon, at kapakanan ng ating mga kababayan," said the senator.
Through Proposed Senate Resolution No. 671, Gatchalian underscored the wake-up call presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, urging authorities to prioritize public mental health services across the country.
Alarming data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) prompted Gatchalian to raise the alarm on the 74% increase in suicide incidents from 2019 to 2020, elevating suicide to the 28th leading cause of death in the Philippines.
In 2019, suicides were ranked as the 39th leading cause of death with 2,808 recorded cases, while 2020 saw a significant spike with 4,892 recorded cases of death due to intentional self-harm.
Furthermore, preliminary estimates for 2022 suggested 2,865 suicide cases, indicating a consistent rise in the average number of deaths by suicide during and after the pandemic.
Comparing the pre-pandemic annual average of 2,752 suicides (recorded from 2017 to 2019) to the annual average of 4,085 suicides from 2020 to 2022, the stark increase in suicide incidents is evident.
Senators earlier pointed out that there were issues with the Mental Health Act, including the distressing situation at the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) in Mandaluyong City.
