With more than 3.6 million Filipinos suffering from mental, neurological, and substance use disorders as of May 2021, the plan to include mental health services in the primary care package of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is laudable, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said on Wednesday, June 30.

Philhealth’s “Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama” (PhilHealth Konsulta) benefit package gives Filipinos the needed access to primary care by adopting a responsive financing mechanism for the delivery of quality primary care services and commodities.

In doing so, primary care services are made more accessible at the community level, the CHR said through Spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia.

De Guia said the inclusion of mental health services in the Konsulta package is very timely due to the report of the National Mental Health Program of the Department of Health (DOH) on the number of Filipinos suffering from various mental problems.

She said the CHR expressed its hope that PhilHealth's partnership with the DOH will "bear fruit" and help deliver mental health care to local communities.

"Any action to help improve access and availability of mental health services is a welcome addition in the government’s holistic goal of health for all Filipinos," she said.

Meanwhile, De Guia said the CHR supports the Philippine National Police (PNP) in its efforts to craft guidelines that would make the conduct of Psychiatric-Psychological Examination regular for all its personnel.

She said the PNP’s efforts would help ensure that police officers are not only physically and mentally capable to carry out their duties, but emotionally equipped as well.

"We hope that, as we continuously address the concerns of our police officers, we can also reduce incidences of human rights violations, especially in communities," she added.