Mental Health and the Government

Guidelines for contributions:

What is mental health in general?
What role does the government play in the management of mental health?
How is an individuals mental health affected by the programs of the
government?
In theory, what can governments do in resolving the problem of mental
health?
Mindset:
In doing the research, think about the potentials of the government to
improve or alleviate the state of mental health of its citizens. The result of
research here should help us form our opinion on the potentials of House
Bill 6679 as the governments primary arm in managing the countrys
mental health.

Research by: Adrian Jeric G. Pea:

The 1987 Philippine Constitution states on Article XIII, Section 11 that the "State
shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development
which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social services
available to all the people at affordable cost. There shall be priority for the needs of
the under-privileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women, and children. The State shall
endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers." This is our country's
responsibility to it's constituent. As a member of this nation, we have the right to
have access to goods, health and other social services that are affordable or even
free.

Research by Janice Cabusas:

According to the World Health Organization, Mental Health is "A state of complete
physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease". It is
related to the promotion of well-being, the prevention of mental disorders, and the
treatment and rehabilitation of people affected by mental disorders.
The National Mental Health Program Mental of the National Center for Disease
Prevention and Control under DOH states that mental health is an integral
component of total health. Issues on mental health includes not only the traditional
mental disorders but as important are the concerns of target populations vulnerable

to psychosocial risks brought about by extreme life experiences (e.g. disasters, near
death experiences, heinous and violent crimes, internal displacement brought about
by religious and civil unrest) as well as the psychosocial concerns of daily living (e.g.
maintaining a sense of well being in these difficult times).
Liezl:
Mental health is not just the absence of mental disorder. It is defined as a state of
well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with
the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make
a contribution to her or his community (WHO, 2007).
Reference
World Health Organization. (2007) http://www.who.int/features/qa/62/en/index.html
Research by Adrian Jeric G. Pea :
Querubin and Rodriguez (2002) noted on their research entitled Beyond the
physical: the state of a nation's mental health: the Philippine report that mental
health is one the least concerns for government agencies, especially in legislation.
Although there are numerous health programs and or laws and presidential decrees
were enacted regarding health care in the Philippines, there are few, if not none at
all are about mental health. In fact, as of the moment, there is no updated and
comprehensive definition of insanity in our laws and our constitution despite the
fact that mental illness is the third most common form of disability in the
Philippines, according to a National Statistics Office survey conducted in 2001.
Although the state is upholding health as one of the basic human rights, it fails to
ensure the efficient delivery of affordable and reliable health servicesnot only
services with regards to mental health.
With due respect to the government, it has attempted to rectify the problem in the
health care delivery in the country through different executive orders. Some of the
notable and significant events in our countrys public health care during the past 25
years are: (i) adoption of the Primary Health Care in 1979; (ii) Executive Order 851
in 1983 integrating the public health and hospital services; (iii) Executive Order 119
in 1987 reorganizing the Department of Health; (iv) Republic Act 7160 delegation of
health services to local government units in 1992; and, (v) Executive Order 102
streamlining the organization and functions of the Department of Health (DOH,
1991).
Furthermore, Zulueta and Liwag (2001) listed the general legislation and
regulations, which are somewhat relevant to mental health as seen on Table 1.
However, one would easily notice that most of the lawsif not alllisted are not
directly mentioning mental health and are only related to the subject. A law
specifically about mental health and or government programs regarding mental
health is yet to be passed and enacted. This is a depressing fact for the reason that
the mental well being of a person is vital for his/her existence in the society and
should be given proper attention and care. The government is clearly failing on their
responsibility to its citizensthat is to provide goods, health and other social

services that are affordable or even free to its citizens.

Table 1
General Legislation / Regulations Pertinent to Mental Health

Legislation / Regulation

Yea
r

Adoption

Family Code

198
8

Child and Youth Welfare Code

197
4

Domestic Adoption Act of 1998 (RA 8552)

199
8

Welfare legislation (e.g., benefits and payments for the

old, disabled, and the ill)

Labor Code of the Philippines, as ameneded

197
4

Social Security Act of 1997

199
7

Government Service Insurance Act of 1997

199
7

National Health Insurance Act of 1997

199
7

 Senior Citizens Act

199
2

Retirement Law

199
3

Compulsory Education (School leaving age, availability,

and access)

Childrens Television Act of 1997

199
7

Children not attending school; children in care

197
4

Child and Youth Welfare Code

197
4

Alcohol Availability, Alocohol/Tobacco advertisements

Special protection of children against child abuse, exploitation and

discrimination (RA 7610)

199
2

Employment Law

Labor Code of the Philippines, as amended

197
4

Civil Service Law

Technical Education and Skills Development Act of 1994

199
4

Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2000

200

Anti-discrimination on: race, creed, disability, age,

gender and sexuality

1987 Philippine Constitution

198
7

Labor Code of the Philippines, as amended

197
4

Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation, and

Discrimination Act (RA 7610), as amended (RA 7658)

199
3

Women in Developing and National Building Act

199
2

Anti-Sexual Harrassment Act

199
5

Reduction of Income Inequalities

Labor Code of the Philippines, as amended

197
4

Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act (RA 8425)

199
7

Although there are professionals and government-owned facilities dealing with

mental health care across the country, their number is inadequate and are only
concentrated in the National Capital Region; hence, not every Filipino has an access
to affordable and reliable mental health services (Querubin and Rodriguez, 2002).
The National Center for Mental Health or NCMH is the only government hospital that

directly deals with mental illness and is located in the National Capital Region. The
National Center for Mental Health houses a total of 35 pavilions / cottages and 52
wards in their 46.7 hectare compound. The center is complete with facilities
including its very own infirmary, medical library, sports center, chapel, conference
rooms, recreational and sports facilities. However, other government hospitals and
medical centers have psychiatry departments also that provides patients with
mental health services that are unevenly distributed in the different regions of the
country, still with concentration in NCR (NCMH, n.d.).
The Philippine Psychiatric Association, established in 1972, currently has 355
registered members throughout the country. However, 65% of its members or 221
registered members are practicing in the National Capital Region, while the rest are
unevenly distributed among the other regions in the country. The government
through the Department of Health tried to correct the uneven distribution of health
care professionals through programs like Doctors to the Barrio and the NARS (Nurse
Assigned in Rural Service) program. Aside from the psychiatrist, most hospitals and
medical centers have a nursing staff who is specializing in psychiatric nursing,
expertise that were acquired through training programs incorporated in the National
Mental Health Program (PPA, n.d.). Trainings related to mental health are regularly
conducted by the National Center for Mental Health and the UP-PGH Department of
Psychiatry alongside with non-governmental organizations, civic and specialty
organizations including the Philippine Mental Health Association, the University of
the Philippines Psychiatrists Foundation, Inc., the Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists
of the Philippines, Inc., and the Philippine Psychiatric Association (Querubin &
Rodriguez, 2002).
When looking at the yearly budget allotted to the Department of Health from the
years 1991 to 2009 (Figure 1), we can see that the budget allocation for the DOH
has been fluctuatingwith the lowest budget given in 1993 amounting only to Php
6.9 billion while the highest budget given to the department was in 2009 amounting
to Php 23.67 billion (Department of Budget Management, 2008). Although the
budget for the Health department has drastically increased throughout the years,
the programs and subsidized services were poorly targetedgiving only emphasis
in the National Capital Region where large government hospitals are situated and
are receiving the largest share of the budget.
Figure 1
DOH Budget from the years 1991 to 2009
in billion pesos

Reference:
DOH, Department of Health, (1991). National Objectives for Health:
Philippines Manila: DOH.

National Center for Mental Health. (n.d.). National Center for Mental Health
(Facilities). Department of Health. Retrieved (2009, September 07)
fromhttp://www.doh.gov.ph/ncmh/index.php?
option=com_content&task=section&id=15&Itemid=120
Philippine Psychiatric Association, (1991). Historical Development of the Mental
Health Services. Philippine Journal of Psychiatry, 2(23), 21.
Philippine Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). Retrieved September 7, 2009,
from http://www.ppa.ph/
Querubin, M., & Rodriguez, S. (2002). Beyond the physical : the state of a nation's
mental health : the Philippine report. Melbourne: CIMH.
Zulueta, F., & Liwag, D. (2001). Social problems and issues in the Philippines.
Manila: National Bookstore.