ILOILO City – The Department of Health (DOH) in Western Visayas is encouraging individuals experiencing depression or other mental health issues to reach out to its crisis hotlines for guidance and support, aiming to prevent self-harm.
Since the launch of the 24/7 crisis hotlines by DOH’s National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) on May 2, 2019, the service has received a total of 83,655 calls nationwide as of August 31, 2024. Of these, 1,468 calls were from Western Visayas.
Data from NCMH showed that 25,775 of the total calls received were related to suicide.
The reasons for these calls varied, including anxiety or depressive symptoms, relationship problems, family issues, work-related concerns, academic pressures, psychotic symptoms, and diagnosed depression.
The crisis hotline assesses each call and refers individuals to the appropriate services, such as emergency rooms, telemental health, or outpatient services, depending on the nature of the concern.
The establishment of the crisis hotlines is in line with Republic Act 11036, also known as the Mental Health Act, specifically Section 21 on suicide prevention. This law mandates the creation of 24/7 hotlines to assist individuals with mental health conditions, particularly those at risk of suicide.
In addition to the crisis hotline, NCMH offers a range of services aimed at suicide prevention, including mental health awareness webinars, telemental health response, and psychiatric emergency sections.
Here’s the breakdown of calls received by the NCMH crisis hotlines from 2019 to 2024:
* 2019 – 3,129 calls (325 suicide-related)
* 2020 – 11,031 calls (1,382 suicide-related)
* 2021 – 21,473 calls (7,617 suicide-related)
* 2022 – 16,538 calls (6,037 suicide-related)
* 2023 – 16,538 calls (6,037 suicide-related)
* 2024 (until August) – 13,473 calls (3,561 suicide-related)
The regions with the highest number of calls were: National Capital Region (36,747), Region IV-A (17,790), Region III (9,010 calls), Region VII (2,108 calls), and Region I (1,805).
Western Visayas ranked seventh with a total of 1,468 calls to the hotlines over the same period.
The hotlines of DOH Region 6 and various Provincial Health Offices offer services such as psychosocial support, psychological first aid, counseling, referrals, and health education, among others.
Here are the numbers: GLOBE: 09177759256; SMART: 09985324047; and Facebook Page: AH Connect |Facebook.
Western Visayas Medical Center in Mandurriao, Iloilo City also has a Mental Health Connect Hotline: 09310251276.
For the provinces:
* Iloilo Provincial Health and Social Welfare and Development Offices (PRIME) – SMART: 09985396704; 09465397929; and GLOBE: 09155426885; 09771220327
* Aklan Provincial Health Office – SMART: 09705999734
* Antique Provincial Health Office – GLOBE: 09661665255; and SMART: 09283418475
* Capiz Provincial Health Office – GLOBE: 09162411596; and SMART: 09219912064
* Iloilo City Health Office – Landline: (033) 315-3012 and Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/iloilomhpss
* Negros Occidental Provincial Health Office – GLOBE: 09659821851; and SMART: 09615729197
Meanwhile, the hotlines of NCHM open 24/7 are the following:
* Dial 1553 or 1800-1888-1553 for SMART / TNT and prepaid subscribers
* GLOBE / TM – 09663514518; 09178998727; and 0917899-USAP
* SMART/TNT – 09190571553/PN