The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill establishing the first mental health clinic in the country .

With 196 affirmative and zero negative and abstention, House Bill 9980 will now be transmitted to the Senate for its actin.

To be put up in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan, the mental health clinic will be funded and managed by the city government with the help of the Department of Health.

SJDM Lone District Rep. Florida “Rida” P. Robes lauded the House leadership for the swift approval of the measure. She also thanked her colleagues for their support.

Robes said the passing of her bill is very timely in the midst of the many mental health problems and issues brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. She noted that the mental health clinic is the first of its kind in the Philippines.

The World Health Organization has noted increased levels of negative impact of the pandemic in the mental health of individuals all over the world. In the Philippines, there is a growing number of Filipinos suffering from mental health issues with Frances Prescila Cuevas, head of the National Health Program of the Department of Health, saying at least 3.6 million suffer from mental disorders.

“Mental health has been widely ignored and less prioritized by the government as our country has been considered one of the poorest in terms of mental health resources,” Robes explained.

“The problem of mental health has even been more pronounced as we encounter the many ill-effects of Covid-19 with the lockdowns and social distancing which have prevented us from being with our friends and engaging in personal interactions and connection with other people,” said Robes, chairperson of the House Committee on People Participation.

She explained that the bill establish the San Jose Del Monte Mental Wellness Center which will provide services that include counseling and therapy, crisis counseling and intervention, medication, evaluation and management, group therapy, mindfulness meditation, after-hours care and other psychiatric services.

It will also provide psychotherapy services to patients on a multiple of issues including the management of difficult emotions, anxiety and stress, childhood trauma, cross cultural issues, life transitions, depression, parenting issues, post-traumatic stress disorder, domestic abuse and family and interpersonal conflicts.

The city government of SJDM will prepare a development plan aligned with the Philippine Health Facility Development Plan in consultation with the Department of Health.

Robes has been advocating mental health issues as she had earlier pushed for the creation of mental health desks in local government units to address the worsening mental health issues brought about by the pandemic. She is also the county’s ambassador of Korean non-government organization Sunfull Foundation Internet Peace Movement on its fight against cyber-bullying.