The Pasig City Council has approved on third and final reading a resolution aimed to provide better healthcare services to citizens with mental illness and other mental health problems. Proposed Resolution No. 187, series of 2023, authorized the local government to enter into and sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) “for the upscaling of the city’s healthcare providers in managing individuals in need of mental health and psychosocial support and for other purposes.” The primary authors of the resolution are Councilors Eric Gonzales and Kiko Rustia. It was referred to the Committee on Health, Sanitation, and Nutrition last March 6. The resolution was unanimously passed on Monday, March 13, during the council’s regular session. In his speech during the session, Gonzales said a committee hearing was conducted by the Committee on Health on March 8 to discuss the pertinent provisions of the resolution. The resource persons of the committee hearing included City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) Chief Bryant Wong, DRRMO Training Division Chief Ramon Carlos Cayube, and Dr. Amelito Javier from the City Health Department (CHD). The discussions emphasized the rise in the number of persons with mental health problems throughout the pandemic. They noted that many medical frontliners in the city were reportedly affected. “Prior to the pandemic, the city had few personnel who underwent trainings and certifications to handle people suffering from mental health problems. Because of this, the city seeks the assistance of the NCMH to provide psychosocial support,” Gonzales said. “Due to several incidents requiring this kind of services, the city DRRMO, through the assistance of NCMH initiated the project wherein the NCMH will conduct training and capacity development for local government employees,” he added. Specifically, around 64 personnel from the DRRMO are expected to join the initiative and undergo training sessions to handle persons with mental health problems that they will encounter in their daily operations. The initiative also aims to engage more personnel of the city, including those of the barangays, to become first responders to calamities and emergencies who are knowledgeable and trained to help victims suffering from mental health problems. Gonzales noted that the trained employees can also be called on to help in times of calamities in other areas outside of Pasig. In the initial survey of the Department of Health (DOH) in 2020, 3.6 million Filipinos were found to be suffering from mental health problems amid the Covid-19 pandemic, with conditions ranging from mental, neurological and substance use disorders. According to the [quick data report of the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC)](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1spkTOOKiYmfNVas9WoMD9IrhO9eIHwHM/view), the callers of the NCMH Crisis Hotline significantly increased, reaching over 100 to 200 percent, throughout 2021 compared to 2019. Anxiety and depression-related concerns were the top reason for calling the hotline, followed by referrals to psychologists or psychiatrists. Suicide-related calls were also high during the pandemic. The national government passed the [Mental Health Act, or Republic Act No. 11036](https://doh.gov.ph/sites/default/files/health_programs/RA-11036.pdf), in 2018 to “enhance the delivery of mental health services, promote and protect the rights of persons utilizing psychiatric, neurological, and psychosocial health services.” Improving the mental health capacities of the Pasig local government is in line with the initiatives the Sotto administration is implementing towards universal healthcare in the city.