(Photo courtesy: PNP)
MANILA, (PIA) — The Philippine National Police (PNP) will intensify its counseling sessions for police officers with problems to ensure their mental health wellness.
This was emphasized by PNP Chief General Benjamin Acorda Jr. when he led the celebration of the 122nd anniversary of the Police Service on Tuesday, Aug. 8, and following a shooting incident at the Taguig Police on Monday, Aug. 7.
According to Acorda, there may be police officers who are experiencing mental health problems due to depression based on information from the PNP Health Service.
For this reason, he said he will order a thorough review of the neuro-psych tests of police officers.
It was reported that the root cause of the incident is the “rice porridge with pork” offered to a fellow police officer, a meal forbidden in their religion.
It is also possible that the same police officer was going through something and his anger only increased with the dish. An investigation on the incident is still ongoing.
Meanwhile, in 2021, according to the World Health Organization, “more than 100 million people suffer from mental disorders in the Western Pacific region, including the Philippines.”
Also in the same year, the Department of Health said that there were at least 3.6 million Filipinos facing mental health issues, including depression, substance use disorders such as alcohol use disorder, and mood disorders like bipolar disorder.
The National Center for Mental Health, on the other hand, also disclosed that its 24/7 helpline 1553 received a total of 1,895 calls for help from individuals seeking mental health assistance in 2022.
To know more about mental health disorders or to seek help, here are their other contact details:
Mobile numbers: 0917-899-8727, 0966-351-4518, 0908-639-2672
Facebook: ncmhcrisishotline
Twitter: ncmhhotline
(PIA-NCR)
