The Department of Health (DOH) said that at least 3.6 million Filipinos were found to be suffering from various forms of mental disorder amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
DOH National Mental Health Program Manager Dr. Frances Prescilla Cuevas said that this is the initial result of the national prevalence survey that they are currently conducting.
"We have more or less at this point around 3.6 million Filipinos that are suffering from any form of mental, neurological, and substance use disorders," said Cuevas.
"This could even be more because these are only selected conditions that we are looking at. We hope to be able to have a full spectrum of the results next year," she added.
The DOH encouraged Filipinos to join hands and raise awareness about mental health, especially during this time of pandemic.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has evoked overwhelming reactions and emotions from people. Many have had their livelihoods affected, others are worried about keeping their families safe,” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
“There are many reasons why we need to take extra care now when it comes to mental health. We hope that by raising more awareness on the urgency of this issue, we can inspire more commitment towards helping those in need,” he added.