City’s mental health initiatives, bared

In observance of World Population Day 2025, the city’s commitment to mental health took center stage at a recent media forum where Dr. Ricky Ducas, Program Manager of the Mental Health and Wellness Unit of the City Health Services Office (CHSO), presented a powerful call to action grounded in compassion, data and community care.

With the Summer Capital facing growing challenges in youth wellness and mental health, Ducas outlined a vision where every resident, not just the most vulnerable, can access quality mental health support without fear, shame, or judgment.

At the core of this vision is the city’s “Compassionate Rescue” approach, an innovative guideline ensuring that all mental health interventions and emergency rescues are conducted with empathy, dignity, and psychological safety.

“Mental health crises should not be met with force or fear. They should be met with care, calm, and compassion,” he stressed.

To measure and monitor community well-being, the CHSO under Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes introduced the “Wellness Meter”, a tool that encourages individuals, especially youth, to reflect on their emotional, mental, and social health.

This initiative, tied closely to the city’s push for building quality families, aims to shape a culture where seeking help becomes a normalized, respected step toward growth and stability.

Ducas also addressed the rising concern of suicides, presenting local data from 2023 to 2025, and while acknowledging the sensitivities surrounding the issue, he stressed the importance of following World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for ethical reporting and communication to prevent copycat incidents and safeguard the dignity of those affected.

The city government’s mental health strategy is holistic as it offers free mental, neurologic, and substance use programs, including the Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation Program, psychosocial support, and post-crisis debriefing.

All of these services are geared toward prevention, early intervention and long-term recovery, particularly for those living at the margins of society, Ducas said.

Baguio’s proactive stigma-reduction campaigns through community events like ‘Banyuhay 2024’ and ‘Light Up Blue’, creates platforms to confront and challenge the deeply rooted personal and cultural taboos surrounding mental illness.

These programs, Ducas noted, are not just symbolic but also spark real conversations and community connections that saves lives.

He also acknowledged a frequently overlooked group: caregivers and frontliners. With compassion fatigue and burnout on the rise, the CHSO emphasizes support for those who support others.

“Caregivers deserve care too,” he pointed out.Support is accessible by dialing national hotlines 911 and 1553, the CHSO and its Facebook page, where residents can book appointments or request assistance.

Training programs for health workers and responders continue to reinforce the city’s core value of no judgment, providing assistance and compassion. –Jescilly Nils P. Viernes, PIO Baguio Intern / Gaby Keith