Palace urges probe into mental health concerns at OVP

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Malacañang on Tuesday called for an investigation into the causes of mental health issues among personnel of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), saying the matter should neither be politicized nor taken lightly.

“They should be given support and counseling. It should be determined when these issues started and what caused them,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said during a press briefing.

“Could this be because of the issue of corruption? Are there things that should be revealed but have not been? Is there excessive pressure?” she added.

Castro made the statement after Vice President Sara Duterte said the OVP launched a mental health program for its personnel purportedly because of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“Do you know why? Because when they attack me, the people in the office are affected. They cry, they get scared. They don't know what they're feeling,” Duterte said.

She made the statement during a gathering with overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong, where she announced that the OVP would deploy mental health experts to assist Filipinos working there.

“We will send a team next year so our fellow Filipinos will have someone to talk to because they are already emotional,” Duterte said.

Castro said the government offers several services to help Filipinos address mental health concerns.

These include the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) Outpatient Mental Health Benefit Package, the Department of Health's Mental Health Program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development's “Tara, Usap” and “WiSupport” programs, and services offered by the National Center for Mental Health.

“Those government programs are available, so OVP employees can avail themselves of these services. Perhaps they want someone to talk to and confide in to help ease their burden. Maybe the stress is weighing on their minds,” Castro said.— MCG, GMA News

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