By Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos
President Duterte affirmed the basic rights of all Filipinos to mental health as he signed Republic Act No. 11036 or the Mental Health Act on Wednesday.
RA 11036 enhances the delivery of integrated mental health services and the promotion and protection of the rights of persons utilizing psychiatric, neurologic, and psychosocial health services, by appropriating funds.
Under the new law, the State will commit to promote the well-being of people by ensuring that mental health is valued, promoted, and protected and that mental health conditions are treated and prevented.
The State shall also ensure that timely, affordable, high quality, and culturally appropriate mental health care is made available to the public; services will be free from coercion and accountable to the service users; and those with mental health conditions are able to exercise the full range of human rights and participate fully in society and at work, free from stigmatization and discrimination.
The law will take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two newspapers of general circulation.
One of the objectives of the law is to create a comprehensive, integrated, effective, and efficient national mental health care system responsive to the psychiatric, neurologic, and psychological needs of Filipinos.
The government was also mandated to implement policies, strategies, programs, and regulations relating to mental health, and strengthen information systems, evidence, and research for mental health.
Local government units and academic institutions are compelled to create their own mental health program that is coordinated with concerned government agencies. LGUs are also tasked to make a quarterly report to the Philippine Council for Mental Health through the Department of Health, which shall fund the establishment of community-based mental health facilities and assist in its operations.
