Entrance of the National Center for Mental Health.  Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA -- The Department of Health-Metro Manila Center for Health Development (DOH-MMCHD) believes no one is spared from experiencing mental health issues -- and a key to normalizing these problems is to talk about them more. 

DOH-MMCHD Director Dr. Rio Magpantay is also determined to prioritize the reduction of the "stigma" on mental health problems. 

"Nagsimula siguro noong unang panahon na kapag ikaw ay nagkakaroon ng hindi magandang sitwasyon sa iyong kalusugan in terms of pag-iisip mo, tinatago ito. Even ang family, tinatago din siya... Even pagpapakonsulta, kahit kayong ordinaryong tao parang ayaw nilang aminin na minsan na sila nagpapakonsulta sa psychiatrist or psychologist, so stigma pa rin iyan. Dapat ma-reduce natin iyan," he told ABS-CBN News during the launch of  the Reaching Individuals for Self-Empowerment through Unified Partnership or RISE UP program.

(It probably started a long time ago, that when you experience a difficult situation regarding your mental health, you hide it. Even the family hides it. Even consulting, even ordinary people don't want to admit that they sometimes consult a psychiatrist or psychologist, so that is still a stigma. We should reduce that.)

"Self-awareness: kailangan kasi makita natin o maibigay natin na tayong lahat pwedeng makaranas nito. Wala namang exemption dito... Ang stigma kasi kung laging pinag-uusapan, nawawala iyan. So bale kung hindi pag uusapan laging nandoon, so we have to be aware," he added.

(We need some self-awareness to recognize or acknowledge that all of us can experience this. No one is exempt. The stigma is lessened if it's always talked about. If it's not talked about, it remains, so we have to be aware.)

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The RISE UP program is a show of commitment of national and local government agencies to care for the mental health of Filipinos. 

Magpantay cited some best practices being implemented by concerned agencies through the program. 

"Nakita natin talaga mga kabataan, the schools must be also empowered to give their own programs for their own students kasi kailangan din nila ng kakayahan. Kahit naman nandoon iyong school, kung wala namang kakayahan iyong ating mga teachers, halimbawa, kung wala ding kakayahan iyong mga guidance counselors, parang mababalewala din. Kaya isa iyon sa mga pakikipagtulungan namin sa DepEd... So schools pa rin ang napakagandang lugar kung paano natin makakausap iyong mga estudyante," he explained. 

(We have really seen that for our young people, the schools must also be empowered to provide their own programs for their students because they also need the capability. Even if the schools have programs if the teachers, especially the guidance counselors, don't have the capability, it will be ineffective. This is what we are working with the Department of Education since schools are still a great place to talk to the students.)

"Iyong mga health centers natin, kailangan din equipped din iyong mga tao doon. Kaya may training tayo din sa ating mga municipal health officers, city health officers tungkol sa kalusugang pangkaisipan," he added.

(Our health centers also need to have equipped personnel. That's why we provide training for our municipal and city health officers regarding mental health.)

The official shared that the DOH-MMCHD is crafting a "mental health council" that will soon be launched.

He said the council will set priorities that agencies may follow in conducting their respective mental health programs.

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