BY RHENJIE MARIE CALANTAS
ILOILO City – The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) is revitalizing its mental health and resilience project following reports of suicide cases.
The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) recorded 36 suicide cases in January of this year – 28.57 percent higher compared to the 28 cases recorded in the same period in 2022.
Negros Occidental recorded the highest at 13 cases, followed by Aklan and Bacolod City with four cases each, and Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, and Iloilo City with three cases each.
The mental health program is patterned after “Ginhawa” which promoted a culture of breathing amid challenging times and advocated mindfulness exercise launched at the height of the pandemic.
On board the program were psychiatrists, artists, the academe and concerned offices of the city government.
CDRRM Officer Donna Magno said the program would have response, prevention and mitigation mechanisms.
Under the response mechanism, it is proposed to establish a hotline and a radio program in partnership with local radio stations.
“Perhaps having a radio program would trigger them to access that possible helpline,” Magno said.
The prevention and mitigation mechanism would offer activities for families to strengthen relationships, peer-to-peer training in schools for students, and film showing, among others.
PRO-6 spokesperson Police Major Mary Grace Borio, on their part, said the Neuro-Psycho Section is in close coordination with DOH on mental health.
“We are conducting a series of lectures, awareness and training to help people cope with depression,” said Borio.
The PRO-6 cited depression, abuse and loneliness as among the causes of suicide. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency)/PN
