OVER the past year, our lives have returned to normal with the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pandemic restrictions are now a thing of the past – the economy has opened up and most people have returned to the workplace.
It is encouraging to see people back out in public, children returning to school and people making a steady living again.
But this shift to “normalcy” has also resulted in increased levels of stress for many. This is understandable since for two years, we became accustomed to living in a bubble. Returning to the workplace caused a lot of fear and anxiety. It doesn’t help that vehicular traffic has worsened, making the experience of going back out very unpleasant.
The physical and mental well-being of the people is something that should not be ignored and in fact, should be highlighted.
The World Health Organization (WHO) noted that many people faced increased levels of alcohol and drug use, insomnia and anxiety as a result of the pandemic. The organization also found that COVID-19 has increased the demand for mental health services worldwide.
Data from the National Mental Health Program (NMHP) claimed that there were at least 1.1 million individuals in the country who have depressive disorder, 521,000 with bipolar disorder, and 213,000 suffering from schizophrenia. NHMP says the actual figure is likely higher because of unreported cases.
These issues cannot be fully addressed overnight but there are some things that we can do immediately to help.
One initiative that I have long been pushing for is the development of more parks, sports and recreational facilities and open spaces, particularly in urban areas to improve the physical and mental well-being of our people.
Numerous studies have cited the importance of developing these types of infrastructure to promote social interaction, better mental health and the overall well-being of communities.
During the recent hearing on the proposed 2024 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), I suggested a shift or at the very least, an expansion of the menu of the Department when it comes to infrastructure projects.
Whenever we talk about the DPWH, what immediately comes to mind are road works. Clearly this mandate of the DPWH is important because we need these road networks to transport goods and people and to provide access to services no matter where people are situated.
Over the years we have seen an uptick in infrastructure projects and this includes road improvements at the national and local levels. Now almost all the national roads are paved already and this is the reason I raised the idea of expanding the concept of public works to include the development of parks, sports facilities, esplanades and other similar projects.
Going around the country, we have seen many local government units incorporating parks and recreational or multi-purpose facilities in their land use plans. Admittedly, space is a problem when it comes to metropolitan areas but we can always be creative in the development and use of small areas. The goal is to make our people feel less confined and to encourage them to go out more, engage in physical activities and interact with people.
Under the present 19th Congress, we filed a number of bills aimed at promoting the development of these open spaces and livable communities. These include Senate Bill No. 629 or the proposed Greening Act, which seeks to ensure the sufficient greenery in urban and countryside areas by making it mandatory to plant trees in parks, as well as, in school grounds, vacant lots and other urbanized sites all over the country.
We also filed Senate Bill No. 767, which will reorganize the National Parks Development Committee and rename it as the Public Parks Development Authority. This will ensure the proper maintenance of public parks and open spaces, precisely to improve public health and to provide a respite from an increasingly urbanized lifestyle.
We are also a co-author of Senate Bill No. 1290 or the Walkable and Bikeable Communities Act, which the Senate has already approved.
In the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index for 2023, Metro Manila was ranked 136th among 173 cities, down four places from the previous year’s rankings. The index uses several metrics for its ranking, including health care, the environment, culture and infrastructure.
We take note of the commitment of the Marcos administration to continue the Green, Green, Green program of its predecessor with the allocation of P2 billion under the 2024 National Expenditure Program for this purpose. The funds will support LGUs in promoting green open spaces and infrastructure projects for active mobility.
With a greater focus on these initiatives, we can help in addressing physical and mental health issues and provide our people with an overall better quality of life.
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Sen. Sonny Angara has been in public service for 19 years—9 years as Representative of the Lone District of Aurora, and 10 as Senator. He has authored, co-authored, and sponsored more than 330 laws. He is currently serving his second term in the Senate.
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Email: sensonnyangara@yahoo.com| Facebook, Twitter & Instagram: @sonnyangara/PN
