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The Philippines ought to have mental health centers in every region, if only to address the serious concern of mental health issues among Filipinos.

For this purpose, AnaKalusugan Party-list Rep. Ray Reyes co-authored House Bill (HB) No. 3582, or the proposed Mental Health Center Establishment Act.

"Mental health and wellbeing should be a priority of our government and there is no denying that there is a need for more mental health centers in the regions," said Reyes, a rookie legislator in the House of Representatives.

The measure essentially aims to make mental health care more accessible to people in the provinces.

Reyes expressed concern over recent figures from the Department of Health (DOH), which showed that at least 3.6 million Filipinos suffer from mental, neurological, and substance use disorder.

"While more and more people are suffering from mental health issues, access to mental health services in the country remains limited due to stigma and lack of resources," he said.

"Nakakalungkot dahil marami pa rin sa ating mga kababayan lalo na sa probinsya ang walang access sa mental health care,” the lawmaker added.

(It's saddening that a lot of our countrymen, especially in the provinces, still don't have access to mental health care.)

Under the proposed statute, the Department of Health (DOH) would be tasked to establish centers in the different provinces and regions to make mental health services readily available for all Filipinos.

“Through this bill, we hope to make diagnosis, treatment, and care more accessible to Filipinos,” Reyes said.

The bill is pending before the House Committee on Health.