#MentalHealthPH is an SEC-registered social media advocacy organization in the Philippines. Our mission is to promote and protect mental health through social media and internet technologies with a vision of achieving good mental health.
#MentalHealthPH was conceptualized last April 2016 during the Healthcare and Social Media Summit 2016 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) organized by #HealthxPH. The organization has three main objectives: 1. Engaging the community both online and offline in promoting and protecting mental health; 2. Educating to #EndTheStigma; and 3. Improving access to mental health information, services, and care.
Co-founders:
- Roy O. Dahildahil, RMT
- Lawrence Joy dela Fuente
- Jerome Gilbert Mina
- Ana Veronica Mendoza
- Yves Miel Zuniga
Core team:
- Jeemon Rey Bacaoco
- Dhanika Austine Garcia
- Janna Mae Pulido
- Nica Mangampat
- Janelle Yu
- Ma. Concepcion Lorenzo
- Dr. Kenneth Ross Javate
- Paulo Laraccas
With volunteers from all over the Philippines, #MentalHealthPH envisions a mentally healthy community and is now expanding to other major cities such as Cebu, Bacolod, and Zamboanga City.
Campaigns:
- #UsapTayo: A regular tweetchat every 10th, 20th, and 30th day of the month from 7 PM to 8 PM, #UsapTayo aims to engage online discussion regarding mental health.
- Voices of Hope: A campaign that aims to empower those who are living with mental health problems, Voices of Hope is helping fight the stigma by providing faces, stories, and voices to mental health illness and recovery.
- Mental Health Directory: A crowdsourced document that provides useful information for those seeking available clinics and facilities offering mental health services.
- Ignite: An Online Mental Health Video Library: A school-based speaking platform inspired after TED talks covering different topics related to mental health.
- Transcend: Faces, Places, Spaces: A forum intended to highlight different perspectives on mental health.
- Mental Health Blogathon: One of #MentalHealthPH’s flagship activities, Mental Health Blogathon is an innovative platform that aims to engage bloggers, writers, and advocates for a safer online space.
Contact Us:
Facebook.com/MentalHealthPhilippines
Twitter.com/mentalhealth_ph
mentalhealthph.org
#MentalHealthPH’s World Mental Health Day 2018: Mental Health Law, Tagumpay Nating Lahat!
ABOUT THE EVENT
Pursuant to Proclamation No. 452, s. 1994 signed by former President Fidel V. Ramos, we celebrate the National Mental Health Week every second week of October.
This year, the Philippines made a historic leap for mental health by enacting the first Philippine Mental Health Act of 2018 (Republic Act No. 11036).
The passage of the law is a substantial investment on a national scale and a great boost to services available in the public health facilities be it psychiatric, psychosocial, or neurological. In addition, it is a significant enhancement to our mental health services at the community level. Alongside this vision is the integration of mental health education to the school curriculum will be possible. These are just some of the promises of the first-ever mental health law in the country.
Essential to this historic success are the organizations, individuals, schools, celebrities, advocates, and YOU for sustaining a collective voice and unified cause to ensure the passage of this law and your continued fight to promote and protect mental health in the Philippines.
#MentalHealthPH, in partnership with LPU Young Filipino Advocates of Critical Thinking, FEU Peers, Anxiety and Depression Support Philippines, Unilab Foundation, Mu Sigma Phi Fraternity, Ideas Positive Alumni Community, Silakbo PH, UST Hiraya, Amnesty International, Association of Philippine Medical Colleges – Student Network, Tomasian Media Circle and Talents, INQUIRER.net, and InqPOP, brings you World Mental Health Day 2018: Mental Health Law, Tagumpay Nating Lahat!
This celebration happens this October 12, 2018 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm at 55 Events Place, 55 Scout Rallos St, Diliman, Quezon City, 1103 Metro Manila.
More than just a celebration, the World Mental Health Day 2018: Mental Health Law, Tagumpay Nating Lahat! aims to:
- Acknowledge everyone’s effort in promoting and protecting mental health that ultimately led to the passage of the Philippines’ first Mental Health Law
- Convene and encourage mental health advocates and organizations to work together towards a mentally healthy community
- Enjoin all mental health advocates, support groups, and professionals, and the rest of the Filipino people to sustain effort and initiatives as we fight for the advancement of mental health in the Philippines.
The call to action is further strengthened by the initial release of the Philippine Mental Health Community Manifesto, the first of its own calling for a unified statement of support and action from all mental health champions, advocates, support groups, professionals, and different institutions.
Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, Department of Health (Philippines); Senator Risa Hontiveros, House Rep. Chiqui Roa-Puno; Dr. Ron Resurreccion, Vice President, Psychological Association of the Philippines; Dr. Ronald Del Castillo, Principal Investigator, DIWA Mental Health Study; and Dr. Gia Baquiran Sison, Co-founder, HealthXPh, among others as they share their organization’s and individual effort in promoting and protecting mental health in the Philippines! Hon. Vice President Leni Robredo will also give a special message to the attendees.
The event also featured different mental health organizations in the Philippines during the World Mental Health Day Expo 2018. A comprehensive directory of mental health organizations and campaigns will be released through #MentalHealthPH’s official Facebook page.
This event is made possible through the following sponsors 55 Events Place, CBB Production (Christine Babao), Aquasoft, Cafe Jose, Unilab Inc., MyPhone, Rebisco Crackers, Shirt Happens, JOINT Production, Bonchon Chicken Philippines, Anding’s Toys and Flowers Inc., TheVagabond Photobooth, Black Canvas, COWO 168, and The Rainbow Collective.
OFFICIAL EVENT HASHTAG: #WorldMHDay2018 #MentalHealthPH #MHChampions
https://www.facebook.com/mentalhealthph/videos/2392090297498380/
SPEAKERS PROFILE
MARIA ROSARIO S. VERGEIRE, MPH, CESO IV
Assistant Secretary of Health, Department of Heath
Dr. Vergeire graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Zoology from the University of Santo Tomas. In 1993, she finished her Doctor of Medicine degree from the De La Salle University College of Medicine and eventually acquired her Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of the Philippines Manila. She has long been affiliated with the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health. Aside from her extensive work experience, Dr. Vergeire has also co-chaired and co-authored various health-related policies and publications in the Philippines, alongside her commitments as part-time faculty at the Ateneo De Manila University and as faculty member at the Development Academy of the Philippines.
SEN. ANA THERESIA “RISA” NAVARRO HONTIVEROS-BARAQUEL
Primary Author, Mental Health Law, Senate
Sen. Ana Theresia Navarro Hontiveros-Baraquel, prominently known as Sen. Risa Hontiveros, is a health and women’s rights advocate, a cause-oriented activist, a public servant, and a mother. As a legislator, she fought for a number of people-centered legislation and addressed social injustice and inequality, particularly in the areas of women’s rights and health care. With the belief that there is no health without mental health, she sponsored and principally authored the Philippine Mental Health Law, which would provide affordable and accessible mental health services for Filipinos. With its passing, no Filipino should suffer silently in the dark anymore.
HON. CRISTINA “CHIQUI” ROA-PUNO
Primary Sponsor, MH Law, House of Representative
Hon. Cristina “Chiqui” Roa-Puno spent her high school and college years in the US. She graduated magna cum laude from the George Mason University in Virginia with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. In 1993, she returned to the Philippines and there she started a career in broadcasting. Today, she is the First District Representative of Antipolo City. She is a Member of the Majority under Sustainable Development Goals, Welfare of Children, Social Services to name a few, and one of the Deputy Majority Leaders in the House of Representatives. She has been an active mental health advocate since her early years. Believing that this is just as vital as physical health in promoting Filipinos’ overall wellbeing, she is one of the principal authors of RA 11036, the Philippine Mental Health Law.
RON R. RESURRECCION, PhD, RPsy
Dr. Ron R. Resurreccion is part of the Department of Psychology at the De La Salle University Manila. Alongside his commitments, he contributes to the e-publication called DIWA, a journal under the Pambansang Samahan sa Sikolohiyang Pilipino (PSSP), which is aimed at plating up studies and understandings of Filipino Psychology from micro to macro perspectives. Graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology, and a PhD in Counseling Psychology, he is currently Vice President of the Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP).
LUZVIMINDA S. KATIGBAK, MD, FPPA
Philippine Psychiatric Association (PPA)
Dr. Luzviminda Katigbak is the Philippine Psychiatric Association (PPA) director for Luzon. A doctor since 1998, her expertise includes areas such as depression, suicidal thoughts, mood swings, psychosis, shizophrenia, and dementia. She also facilitates in interactive discussions on disorders, such as the one held by the Unilab Medical Education and Development (UMED) team about anxiety years back. Aside from PPA, she is also affiliated with the Philippine Medical Association, Southern Tagalog Group of Psychiatrists, and Group for Addiction Society of the Philippines.
TEODULO GONZALES, PhD
Philippine Guidance Counselors Association (PGCA)
Fr. Teodulo Gonzales is a professor at Loyola School of Theology and a representative of the Philippine Guidance and Counseling Association. He took his PhD in Pastoral Counseling at Loyola University Maryland.
RONALD T. DEL CASTILLO, PsyD, MPH
Dr. Ronald Del Castillo graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Fordham University in New York and attained his Master’s and Doctorate Degree through a joint program in California. After 24 years in the US, he came to the Philippines through UP’s Balik-PhD Recruitment Program. Now a clinical psychologist and associate professor in the Department of Health Policy and Administration at the College of Public Health, at UP Manila, he also takes the role as Principal Investigator of the DIWA Mental Health study – a UP System-wide research on the mental health of students. Generally, his research work is driven by mental health, public health, and public policy, including socio-cultural and structural determinants of illness – researches relevant and accessible to the community.
GIA B. SISON, MD, DPCOM
Dr. Gia B. Sison is a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas. She is a breast cancer survivor and has a story of a woman who fought hard at war and won. She is a social media influencer, the so-called “Millenial Tita”, and one of the co-founders of #HealthxPh. Currently, Dr. Gia Sison is a full-time physician and a Chief Medical Officer at Global TeleHealth Incorporated and a talk show host at a broadcasting television network, CNN Philippines.
PAM PASTOR
Ms. Pam Pastor started writing for the Philippine Daily Inquirer when she was 17 years old. She grew up in the newsroom and is currently the editor of the newspaper’s pop culture section Super. She is the author of the books Paper Cuts and Planet Panic and is one of the editors of the books Young Blood 4, 5, and 6. After being diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety disorder in December 2015, she has made it her mission to do what she can to destigmatize mental illness.
RIYAN PORTUGUEZ, MP, RPm
Mary Anne A. Portuguez is a registered psychometrician with a Master’s Degree in Psychology attained at PUP Manila. She is a National Lecturer and a Digital Marketing Officer in Vanguard Assessments and Behavioral Dynamics. She is a co-coordinator in the Psychological Association of the Philippines’ LGBT Special Interest Group. A blogger, an LGBTQIA+ and a staunch mental health advocate. She was recently featured on Netflix: Truth Be Told, a mental health awareness video for 13 Reasons Why.
ROSANTONETTE “ROSAN” MENDOZA
Ms. Rosantonette “Rosan” Mendoza is a Bb. Pilipinas 2018 candidate who supports Mental Health as part of her advocacy. As she shares, she has had her own share of depression. Being diagnosed with it, she took this opportunity to be a voice to those experiencing it as well. She aims to raise awareness and inspire others as to how they can redeem and be the version of themselves continually growing and improving.
QUENNIE MARAVILLAS
A graduate of Elementary Education from the Bicol University, Niq Maravillas is now Program Associate of The Forum for Family Planning and Development Inc. She is a motivational speaker and has been awarded as the Best Speaker for the Regional Training on Leadership at Unibersidad de Sta. Isabel in Naga City. Being an active advocate of the LGBT+ community and mental health, she was recently invited to the Boy Abunda Round Table Conversation (BARC) and to the 2nd Boy R. Abunda Talks (BRATS), respectively.
SIGRID GRACE FLORES
Ms. Sigrid Grace Flores is a Bb. Pilipinas 2018 semi-finalist. She is also a motivational speaker, Philanthropist and a co-founder of Sons & Daughters in 2013, a non-profit organization/movement devoted to spread love one movement at a time. They are active in doing activites such as: counselling the depressed and emotionally unstable, as well as, do hospital visits and feeding programs.
RALPH NICO SELIBIO, MD
Dr. Ralph Nico R. Selibio is part of a continuing initiative called Project CHAMP (Community Health Apprenticeship and Mentoring Program) along with the effort of TAMBAL, a program based on the clear recognition of challenges that institutions and students face. This capacity building project is aimed at perfectly integrating adequacy of knowledge, clinical skill mastery, and the development of right attitude into an excellent practice among future doctors. Known as a doctor to the barrio (DTTB), Dr. Selibio is Municipal Health Officer of San Enrique, Negros Occidental.
ADVT
