Empowering the youth through mental health advocacy

The regular Kapihan sa Baguio forum, July 11, focused on mental health, a pressing issue faced by the country’s youth as Dr. Sheridan Athena Gajete, Luzon Cluster Head of the National Youth Commission (NYC) talked on the critical state of youth mental health and the NYC’s ongoing efforts to address it.

Citing findings from the 2021 National Youth Assessment Study, Gajete revealed that mental health ranks among the top three concerns of Filipino youth, alongside adolescent pregnancies and HIV/AIDS.

Data showed a significant rise in suicide incidents among the youth during the pandemic, a stark reminder of its emotional and psychological toll on young Filipinos.

In response, NYC has taken proactive measures by strengthening its advocacy for the implementation of the Mental Health Act (RA 11036) and creating programs that directly involve and benefit the youth. Among the initiatives is the Mental Health Youth Hub, a safe and inclusive space that empowers peer support groups led by young people with lived experiences.

These hubs also serve as frontlines in the effort to normalize mental health conversations and provide grassroots-level assistance to struggling young people.Included is the annual call for Mental Health Youth Coaches, a program that selects and trains passionate young leaders to provide peer counseling and mental wellness education in their communities.

The next application cycle is set for October, this year, a continuing reminder of NYC’s long-term strategy in building a youth-led mental health support system.Gajete also highlighted NYC’s continuing collaboration with institutions like the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and Philippine National Police (PNP), particularly in reaching out to youth deprived of liberty.

Mental health training tailored for these vulnerable groups ensures that no young person is left behind in the Commission’s vision of holistic youth development, she said.

Her message was clear: the future of the Filipino youth hinges not only on addressing economic and physical needs but also on ensuring access to emotional and psychological support.

Through multi-sector partnerships with agencies like the Commission on Population and Development, previously known as POPCOM, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and World Health Organization (WHO), the NYC is laying the foundation for sustainable and inclusive youth mental health policies nationwide.

Gajete said this poses a challenge to everyone that if we want empowered youth, we must first create a society that protects their mental health, that listens, understands, and acts.

Indeed, the call has been made and is now up to institutions, communities, and individuals to answer. – Jescilly Nils P. Viernes, PIO Baguio Intern / Gaby Keith