By Argyll Geducos

President Duterte said that he will unlikely go down with depression because of the beautiful ladies he sees around him. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte
(KING RODRIGUEZ / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO/ MANILA BULLETIN) Duterte made the jest as he visited the Taguig City Center for the Elderly Thursday evening. In his speech, Duterte recalled how his family went on in life following the death of his father, former Davao Governor Vicente, at the age of 56. According to the President, his mother Soledad did not know what to do after the sudden passing of her husband and that their business was also not doing good. "Naaawa ako sa nanay ko (I felt bad for my mother). She got into a depression for about four months. Walang ginawa kung hindi matulog. Iyon ang signs ng depression (She did not do anything but sleep. That was one of the signs of depression)," he said. However, Duterte doubted that he would suffer the same fate as his mother. "I don’t know if I have one but sa karaming magagandang babae dito, matanda man o bata, hindi ako talaga magkaroon ng depression kailanman (but with the beautiful women here, old and young, I doubt I will ever get depression)," he said. Meanwhile, Duterte stressed that senior citizens deserve nothing but the utmost care and support for all the fruitful years of raising their children and for their contribution to nation-building. "Senior citizens, as integral members of the Filipino family, deserve utmost care and support after fruitful years of contributing to nation-building," he said. "Now is the time that we give back to them by letting them know how grateful we are for having them and by honoring their crucial role in our lives," he added. Healthline classifies depression as a mood disorder that can be described as feelings of sadness, loss or anger that interfere with a person's everyday activities. It added that depression in older adults can reduce the quality of life, and increases the risk of suicide. They also said that biological, social, and psychological factors all play a role in depression in older adults. In May this year, the Department of Health launched a national crisis hotline to assist people with mental health concerns 24/7. The hotline is operated by the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH), which has trained respondents to properly deal with those in need. The hotline can be reached through 0917-899-USAP (8727).