(So the government should support by way of legislation health financing of PhilHealth, or the right orientation of health service providers. The health delivery systems – proper mental health rooms and wards, not like prisons before, horro stories at the basement of hospitals, and whatnot.)



When she was still part of the PhilHealth board, she revealed the state corporation already started developing a benefit package for mental health, especially since mental health conditions were on the rise months after Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) struck parts of the country in 2013.



At the same time, Hontiveros said mental health became part of public consciousness when not a few depression-related suicides made it to the news.



“Noong panahon after Yolanda, pati first responders lahat nangailangan ng long-term counseling, [they needed to] process trauma, [at] panunumbalik sa mental stability before disaster,” she explained.