BY ELLSON QUISMORIO
The mental stress caused by COVID-19 pandemic is already taking its toll on everybody with some Filipinos going nuts about it, Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez warned on Monday.
Rodriguez said the fear alone of getting infected by the new coronavirus “is driving many Filipinos nuts.”
“This prolonged pandemic is adversely affecting the mental health of tens of thousands if not millions among us. Worries of being sick with COVID, no work, no food or less food to eat, being unable to go outdoors, pressure to earn for the family, sickness in the family, depressing news of friends infected with and dying of COVID, unable to continue school, inability to get physical comfort from friends and relatives – all these result in deteriorating mental health of our people,” he explained.
Adding to these worries is “the uncertainty of when this infectious virus wreaking havoc on our lives will go away,” the Mindanaoan lawmaker said.
To address this, Rodriguez urged the government to hire more guidance counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health specialists to help people cope with mental issues.
He also said the national government and local government units (LGUs) should prepare facilities for counseling and treating people with psychological problems.
On the part of Congress, the veteran lawmaker said the legislature should expedite the approval of proposals for the hiring of more mental health personnel and construction of mental health facilities.
One such measure is House Bill (HB) No.2732, which Rodriguez filed in July 2018. The bill is titled, “An Act to recruit, hire and train additional school-based guidance counselors, psychologists, social workers and mental health personnel.” (Ellson Quismorio)
