Idiniin ng chairperson ng House Committee on the Welfare of Children ang pangangailangan para sa epektibong pagpapatupad ng Republic Act (RA) 11036, o ang Mental Health Act, sa mga komunidad at paaralan.
“At the community and campus levels, there is an urgent need to effectively implement the Mental Health Act or RA 11036 as more students return to their campuses for in-person face-to-face classes, after more than two years of isolation in their homes,” sinabi ni Rep. Angelica Natasha Co ng BHW Party-list sa isang pahayag.
Ang kanyang panawagan ay tugon sa pagkamatay ng isang 19-anyos na estudyante sa University of the East (UE) campus sa Caloocan City noong Lunes.
“In my capacity as Chairperson of the House Committee on the Welfare of Children and as a Psychology alumna (ADMU Class of 2011), I express my deep condolences to the family and friends of the University of the East senior high school student who passed away under tragic circumstances on Monday. My condolences as well to the UE community,” sabi ni Co.
Idinagdag niya na ang BHW Party-list ay nakikipag-ugnayan na sa Department of Social Welfare and Development upang maabot ang nagdadalamhating pamilya at mga kaibigan at mabigyan sila ng mga counseling intervention na kailangan nila upang malampasan ang mahirap na panahong ito sa kanilang buhay.
Idinagdag pa ng mambabatas na nakikipag-ugnayan ang party-list sa naulilang pamilya para ipaabot sa kanila ang nararapat na tulong para sa kanila.
“This tragedy, similar tragedies, and the incidents of assaults involving children and student in conflict with the law require targeted responses and preventive solutions, more and more young Filipinos and even adults have, in recent times, been resorting to drastic tragic measures under the tremendous stress and strain of personal trials of emotional, social, and economic nature,” dagdag niya.
Panghuli, binigyang-diin ni Co ang pagkakaroon ng mas madaling ma-access na mga healing professional sa mga sitwasyong ito, tulad ng mga guidance counselor, peer counselor, psychologist, at psychiatrist.
Photo credit: Philippine News Agency website
