Senator Win Gatchalian has filed a resolution urging a Senate inquiry into the implementation of the Republic Act No. 11036 or the Mental Health Act due to the alarming increase in suicide cases in recent years.
In a statement released on Thursday, Gatchalian emphasized the urgent need for the government to improve and invest in mental health services across various sectors, including healthcare, protection, education, and welfare.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority revealed a 74 percent surge in suicide incidents from 2019 to 2020, making suicide the 28th leading cause of death in the Philippines. In 2019, it ranked as the 39th leading cause of death, but the number of recorded deaths due to intentional self-harm skyrocketed to 4,892 in 2020 from 2,808 in 2019.
The pandemic’s toll on mental health is evident, with the average number of deaths by suicide rising significantly during and after the pandemic. The annual average of deaths by suicide increased from 2,752 from 2017 to 2019 to 4,085 from 2020 to 2022.
Gatchalian also highlighted the impact on learners, as data from the Department of Education showed that 412 students died by suicide during the School Years 2020-2021 and 2021-2022.
During a Senate Committee hearing, it was found that the National Center for Mental Health received a surge in calls related to suicide. In 2019, there were 3,125 calls, with 700 being suicide related. The numbers increased drastically in 2020, with 11,000 calls and 2,800 being suicide related. The trend continued in 2021, with 14,000 calls, including 5,000 suicide-related calls, nearly seven times higher than in 2019.
