City officials requested all private and public high schools in the city to conduct regular mental health awareness and anti-drug abuse campaigns.
Under Resolution No. 633, series of 2022, local legislators stated there is an urgent need to build and/or intensify collaboration of all stakeholders or agencies such as the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO), the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), the Department of Health (DOH), the City Schools Division, and the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation, among others, to be able to combat the negative effects of mental problems among students.
During the Scout Officials for a Day (SOFAD) session held last November 7, 2022, the SOFAD Council adopted the proposal of SOFAD Councilor Ralph Gwyneth T. Sapdoy which proposed the institutionalization of regular mental health awareness and anti-drug abuse campaign programs to all public and private high schools in the city.
Republic Act (RA) 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, provides for the protection by the State of the integrity of its territory and the well being of its citizenry, particularly the youth from the harmful effects of the dangerous drugs on their physical and mental wellbeing, and to defend the same against acts or omissions detrimental to their development and preservation
Further, the government shall pursue an intensive and unrelenting campaign against the trafficking and use of dangerous drugs and other similar substances through an integrated system of planning, implementation and enforcement of anti-drug abuse policies, programs and projects.
On the other hand, Section 2 of RA 11036, otherwise known as the Mental Health Act, provides that the State commits itself in promoting the well being of the people by ensuring that: mental is valued, promoted and protected; mental conditions are treated and prevented; timely, affordable, high quality, and culturally, appropriate mental health case is made available to public mental health service are from coercion and accountable to be service users; and persons affected by mental health conditions are able to exercise the full range of human rights; and participate fully in society and at work free from stigmatization and discrimination.
Among the objectives of RA 11036 is the integration of strategies promoting mental health in educational institutions, the workplace and in communities. In addition, the law provides that educational institutions, such as schools, colleges, universities and technical schools, shall develop policies and programs for students, and other employees designed to raise awareness on mental health issues.
The council claimed that the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) is a coordinating body mandated to look into and reconcile all the anti-drug abuse interventions of the government agencies, the local government and the private sector in order to formulate a holistic approach in curbing the proliferation of illegal drugs in the city that pose a threat to the future of the youth sector.
Section 8(5) of Ordinance No. 29, series of 2021, states that an age-gender, culturally and ethnically-appropriate mental health program shall be integrated in all schools in the city formulated by their respective guidance counsellors, medical officers, school nurses, designated teachers, administrators and other concerned staff in consultation with the Baguio City Mental Health Council and the Department of Education.
The council pointed out that the State needs to enhance further the efficacy of the battle against dangerous drugs being one of today’s more serious social ills and to address the stigma and ignorance about depression among youth, especially during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, by implementing an in-depth and regular information drive or campaign in various schools in coordination with the education department.
