By FAITH ARGOSINO Mental health wellness is the focus of a Johnson & Johnson (Philippines) program that provides medical education to healthcare practitioners and treatment access to patients. Johnson & Johnson (Philippines), Inc. operates community-based mental health programs with institutions to reach more Filipinos. One of its programs is conducting mental health training by "telementoring" and "telecoaching" to municipal health practitioners, in response to an increased need for mental health education. For some people, coping with mental health issues and the stigma that surrounds them have become difficult to manage amid the anxiety created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Aside from the training sessions, Johnson & Johnson also collaborates with the Philippine Psychiatric Association and other professional groups, to host medical webinars focused on mental health promotion and management. In observance of the World Mental Health Day this October, the company has partnered with Save The Children Philippines to host an event titled "Puppets for Mental Health." The event aims to address the importance of children's mental health amid the pandemic. Participants will have the chance to enjoy puppet-making for children’s book and Hope in a Jar activity. According to World Health Organization (WHO), the goal of World Mental Health Day is to raise global awareness of mental health issues and organize support for mental health initiatives. This event also allows all stakeholders to discuss their work and action plan to make mental health care accessible to people worldwide. "We need to keep a watchful eye on mental health, especially as we continue to navigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has already caused enough damage to the mental well-being of Filipinos," Johnson & Johnson (Philippines) Inc.'s Head of Medical Affairs Dr. Erwin Benedicto said. According to Johnson & Johnson, there is an unbalanced distribution of professionals, with the majority of the few over 500 psychiatrists practicing concentrated in urban regions. In the Philippines, the ratio of mental health workers is just two to three per 100,000 Filipinos, which is lower than in other nations with similar economic standing, such as Indonesia and Malaysia. The company also places a high value on its employees' mental health, offering a variety of mental health resources and programs that can be extended to an employee's dependents. Working hours have also been altered to accommodate the demands of parents whose children are enrolled in online classes, as well as other employees, in order to enable them to strike the correct work-life balance.