SENATOR Imee Marcos urged mental health experts to tackle the worsening mental health crisis in the country, especially among the youth.

Marcos proposed several measures to address these critical issues, including enlisting the help of overseas Filipinos and mental health professionals willing to share their expertise.

She also recommended granting psychiatric nurses the authority to care for patients with mental health conditions and conducting workshops for the Sangguniang Kabataan and other youth groups to promote peer-to-peer counseling.

Marcos suggested that the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education provide subsidies to teachers interested in guidance counseling to increase the number of qualified professionals in the field.

Reflecting on her time as governor of Ilocos Norte, Senator Marcos shared a tragic firsthand experience that underscores the urgency of addressing mental health.

“During my time as governor, over a dozen teenage suicides were reported within a six-month period. We must recognize mental health as a critical aspect of well-being and address it with the seriousness it deserves, moving beyond the stigma,” she stated.

According to data from the Philippine Psychiatric Association, there are only 651 psychiatrists, 516 psychiatric nurses, and 133 psychologists serving the entire country. The World Health Organization recommends 10 psychiatrists per 100,000 people, yet the Philippines has only 2 per 100,000 Filipinos.