PRO-Health - Promoting Rights Organizing for Health

11/10/2026

𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗟 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗛 𝗜𝗦 𝗔 𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧; 𝗦𝗔𝗙𝗘 𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟𝗦 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬

This World Mental Health Day, the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP) calls for greater investment in mental health services and safer, more supportive schools for every learner.

Recent school shooting incidents in the Philippines remind us that schools must be spaces of learning, not fear. Ensuring students’ safety requires more than security measures. It demands effective child protection policies, accessible guidance services, psychosocial support, and adequate government funding for mental health programs.

We cannot keep telling students to seek help when services remain inaccessible and schools lack the resources to support them. Mental health must be a priority in the national budget, not just in government speeches and awareness campaigns.

We further emphasize that banning social media is not the solution. Young people need digital literacy, protection from online abuse, responsible social media platforms, and accessible mental health care. We must address the root causes of their struggles, not resort to blanket restrictions and band-aid solutions that leave these problems unresolved.

SCAP calls on the government and school administrations to invest in mental health, strengthen school safety, combat stigma and bullying, and ensure that students have a meaningful voice in decisions affecting their well-being.

Students deserve more than awareness campaigns. We deserve support we can access, schools where we feel safe, and a government that treats mental health as an utmost priority and right.




Photo credits: Explained PH

07/10/2026

DSWD PRESS RELEASE: DSWD eyes new FDS module to help 4Ps parents navigate children’s mental health, digital challenges

According to the DSWD chief, the proposed module will allow the 4Ps’ FDS to respond more effectively to emerging concerns affecting Filipino families, particularly by helping parents understand the factors that may affect their children’s well-being both at home and in school.

Secretary Gatchalian emphasized that the proposed stand-alone module will focus on helping parents navigate their children’s use of technology and develop healthier ways of communicating with them about digital devices. (AKDL)

See comments section for full story.

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17/09/2026

14/09/2026

The Philippines has somehow managed to become obese and more malnourished at the same time.

The 2025 DOST-FNRI survey found 44.5 percent of Filipino adults overweight or obese, up from 39.8 percent in 2023.

Among children under five, 25.3 percent were stunted, meaning chronic malnutrition had kept them too short for their age, also worse than 2023's 23.6 percent.

So this is not simply a country where some people eat too much and others too little, but one where cheap calories can be easy to find while good nutrition remains harder to afford.

10/09/2026

08/09/2026

Su***de affects people of all ages and backgrounds, but the latest data show that some groups face a greater burden than others.

In the Philippines, more than 80% of su***de deaths are among men, while around 42% occur among young people aged 15–29 years. Evidence suggests that social norms, stigma around help-seeking, and limited access to timely mental health care can make it harder for people to get the support they need.

Understanding who is most affected can help shape more targeted prevention efforts, from promoting life skills and emotional well-being among young people to strengthening community-based mental health services, early identification, and access to care.

If you or someone you know needs support, contact the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) Crisis Hotline at 1553 or 0919 057 1553.

07/09/2026

05/09/2026

THE National Nutrition Council (NNC) is seeking to strengthen the role of local governments in addressing child malnutrition while focusing its monitoring system toward measurable health outcomes.

04/09/2026

Photos of expired medicines worth millions of pesos allegedly being buried by the Department of Health (DOH) were shown during the Senate Finance Committee’s budget hearing on Friday.

READ MORE: https://inqnews.net/ExpiredMedicinesBuried