A party-list solon hopes that the 300 percent increase in the allocation for mental health programs under the Department of Health's (DOH) proposed 2023 budget would go a long way in aiding the sector.
Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Ray Florence Reyes said the allocation for mental health programs next year is P2.1 billion.
“The allocation is a huge mark-up from last year’s P568.04 million budget. With this amount for 2023 we can improve, create, and provide more services for Filipinos suffering from mental health issues,” reckoned Reyes.
A study conducted on the Philippines’ mental health situation by the National Center for Global Health and Medicine showed that government hospitals and the state health insurer only cover in-patient services.
This means that outpatient cases suffering from mental health illnesses still cover 100 percent of treatment cost from their own pockets.
“It is greatly hoped that this budget increase can lessen the financial burden on our countrymen. This is surely a positive step towards the drive to break the stigma associated with mental illness, as it creates opportunities for improvement in officially funded health-centric priorities,” added Reyes,
DOH indicated that around 3.6 million Filipinos suffered mental disorders at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
It is also the third most common disability in the country. The Philippines also recorded the third highest rate of mental disorders per capita in the Western Pacific region.