Mental health in the Philippines is the survey of the status of psychological, psychiatric, and emotional healthcare in the country.
Beliefs about mental illness in the Philippines have evolved from precolonial views of supernatural causes (requiring intervention from a babaylan or folk healer) to the introduction of institutional care with the Spanish colonization.
History
Precolonial The precolonial peoples of the Philippines believed that mental aberrations had supernatural causes. These were usually attributed to malevolent spirits or angered deities, who were seen as potential bringers of punishment and disease. They were also capable of possessing humans, especially if they felt slighted by the person's actions. Appeasing or repeling them was therefore considered as the solution to any deviant behavioral conditions.
Often, addressing issues like psychosis or delusions required the intervention of a local medium or folk healer, known in many regions as babaylan. They made offerings to the spirit or deity, using animal entrails to determine if their interventions succeeded. When the medium was possessed, they were given instructions on how the afflicted should repair their relationship with the supernatural world. In doing so, the deviant behavior was expected to go away. Apart from folk healers, good-luck talismans or amulets (anting-anting) were used to protect against mental aberrations.
Spanish colonization
The Spanish Empire began colonizing the Philippines in 1565, introducing Roman Catholicism and Western medicine. In the capital Manila in 1782, a religious order established Hospicio de San Jose, which provided the islands' first system of institutional care for mental illnesses and disabilities. Apart from Manileños, Hospicio de San Jose admitted patients from as far north as Ilocos region and as far south as Iloilo City. Most of those admitted were indios (). The hospice also accommodated other marginalized groups, such as orphans and the elderly.
During the Spanish colonial period, those who had mental health conditions were called dementes (). Admitted patients were categorized into five types; the most common one, dementes, had no criminal records. Those who did were either demente presos, admitted due to aggressive behavior while incarcerated, or procesados, who were recently sentenced by a local judge for serious crimes like infanticide. Fugados were dementes who escaped confinement from the Hospicio and caught by authorities, whereas curados were considered sane enough to reintegrate into society.
Reflecting indigenous beliefs, Catholics thought that demonic possessions were the root of mental disorders. The concept of locura o furor () was pervasive in early modern Spain, and individuals struck with the so-called disease were taken to a church for exorcism. Despite the strong influence of Roman Catholicism, folk healers were still consulted to expel the demon.
Contemporary period On March 2, 2004, Republic Act No. 9258 or the Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004 was approved.
On March 16, 2009, Republic Act No. 10029 or the Philippine Psychology Act of 2009 was approved.
On June 20, 2018, Republic Act No. 11036 or the Mental Health Act was approved.
On December 6, 2024, Republic Act No. 12080 or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotions Act was approved.
In June 30, 2026, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) issued a qualification standard (QS) for Schools Division Counselor, School Counselor, and School Counselor Association.
Existing conditions
Processes in the healthcare system There are three tiers in the health care system: primary, secondary, and tertiary. The primary health care tier serves as a patient's first point of contact with a health professional who can provide outpatient medical care. If the general practitioner cannot address the problem of the patient, then the patient is referred to a specialist. Mental health care specialists, which belong to secondary health care, include psychologists and psychiatrists. In the Philippines, most psychiatrists are in private practice, although some work in government institutions such as the National Center for Mental Health. Psychiatrists provide the patient with services such as assessment, counselling, and/or prescription drugs if needed. In the tertiary health care, patient would be referred to institutions if the mental illness needs specialized care that is beyond the capabilities of the specialist.
Some health care systems put psychologists and psychiatrists under the category of primary care providers. In this case, short hospital visits and consultation-liaison services to other medical departments would fall under secondary health care. More severe mental health diagnoses would require more rehabilitation, which is within the scope of tertiary health care.
Institutions Mental health facilities and institutions are maintained in the Philippines by both private and public groups but access to them remains uneven throughout the country. Most facilities are located in the National Capital Region (NCR) and other major cities in the country, thus favoring individuals who live near these more urban areas.
National Center for Mental Health The National Center for Mental Health (NCMH), originally named Insular Psychopathic Hospital, was established in 1925 under the Public Works Act 3258. At the time, the City Sanitarium and San Lazaro Hospital were the only primary institutions that catered for the needs of the mentally ill, however, due to the large volume of patients pouring in, there was a need to build another institution that could provide for the needs of patients with mental illness. The 64-hectare site is located in Mandaluyong.
The institution officially opened on December 17, 1928, accepting 379 patients who were all crowding in San Lazaro Hospital. In 1930, the bed capacity was increased to 800, although the total number of patients was over 836. Two pavilions were added to increase the bed capacity to 1,600. By 1935, the City Sanitarium closed, and leaving NCMH with 1,646 patients to serve.
Aside from being a hospital, NCMH is authorized by the Department of Health (DOH) as a Special Research Training Center. According to the NCMH website, the hospital is "mandated to render a comprehensive (preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative) range of quality mental health services nationwide". Aside from this, NCMH also offers a 4-year psychiatric residency training program for doctors and a 2-year psychiatric nursing program for nurses specializing in psychiatric care. There are also affiliation programs that cater to students from the fields of psychology, pharmacy, and nursing, among others.
NCMH currently occupies 46.7 hectares of land, with 35 pavilions/cottages, and 52 wards, as well as facilities such as medical infirmary, library, chapel, conference rooms, tennis court, basketball court, multi-purpose hall and dormitories. As of 2011, the numbers of staff are as follows: 88 doctors, 890 nursing staff, 116 medical ancillary personnel, and 446 administrative support staff. The hospital also received from the government a budget allocation worth PHP 523, 982, 000, which costs an average of Php 118.61 per patient per day.
Currently, NCMH has a bed capacity of 4,600 and serves an average of 3,000 in-patients on a daily basis, in addition to 56, 000 outpatients per year. Most patients come from Metro Manila and nearby regions III and IV. They also serve patients from other regions, often forensic cases referred by the courts. Subsidy for treatments is given to 87% of the inpatients which belong to classes C and D. The institution received its ISO 9001:2008 certification on December 2, 2015.
Philippine Mental Health Association, Inc. The Philippine Mental Health Association, or PMHA, is "a private, non-stock, non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of mental health and prevention of mental disorders." Its headquarters is located in Quezon City with nine chapters all over the Philippines: PMHA Bacolod-Negros Occidental, Baguio-Benguet, Cabanatuan-Nueva Ecija, Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental, Cebu, Dagupan-Pangasinan, Davao, Dumaguete-Negros Oriental, and Lipa-Batangas.
It was established on January 15, 1950, with Dr. Manuel Arguelles as president due to the call for assessment of mental health problems induced by World War II. At present, their programs range from Education and Information Services (EIS), Clinical and Diagnostic Services (CDS), and Intervention Services (IS).
The PMHA provides guidance and educational programs for the youth through partnering with various private and public schools and colleges in the country. They also organize seminars and workshops for youth mental health through their EIS arm.
The Association officially expanded its services to the adult population in 1960. They now provide psychiatric, psychological, and counseling services to all sectors of society under CDS. They also launched Rehabilitation Care Services in 1962 to assist in the recovery and reintegration of patients into the community.
The Association's IS arm has two centers: the Center for Children and Youth (CCY) and the Adult Work Center (AWC). The CCY provides various kinds of therapy sessions and counseling along with special education for those with learning disorders and intellectual disability. The AWC provides life skills training and family programs to assist mental health patients in their recovery and therapy.
Other Institutions In the National Capital Region (NCR), most major hospitals (both public and private) have a psychiatric department which caters to the need of people with mental illness. Hospitals include The Medical City, Philippine General Hospital (PGH), Manila Doctors Hospital, and University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, Inc. (UERMMMC), to name a few.
Webbline provides a list of mental health care facilities that can be found in the provinces and in NCR.
Suicide prevention hotlines A crisis and suicide prevention hotline called Hopeline was launched in 2016, to assist people who may need psychological or psychiatric services. The Department of Health funded the project until 2019, when it transferred its resources to establishing the NCMH's crisis hotline.
Government initiatives National legislation The Philippines' first law addressing mental health was passed in 2018. It was given the name Mental Health Act, officially known as Republic Act 11036. Its primary goals include upholding the rights of people with mental conditions, prohibiting discrimination against them, and improving the accessibility of comprehensive health services. The law is based on international human rights standards, specifically the United Nations' Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness.
The law mandates the DOH, Commission on Human Rights, Department of Justice, and various hospitals in support of those with mental health problems. Mental health services are proposed to be accessible from large-scale hospitals, down to the barangay level. Health and medical courses will include mandatory courses in mental health, so as to fully equip healthcare professionals.
The Mental Health Act has received criticism for the implementation and effectiveness of its services. Critics, including researchers, have commented on the programs' being outdated, underfunded, and understaffed. They also have written about the need for more health equity, especially for geographically isolated Filipinos and vulnerable demographics like older persons, children, and displaced people. Mental health resources accounted for only around 5% of government spending on healthcare in 2023.