August 2022 — Due to the increasing number of mental health cases in the Philippines, two leaders in the country’s health and personal care industries, PhilCare and Johnson & Johnson Philippines, Inc. (JJPI), are collaborating to make psychological first aid (PFA) accessible to more Filipinos.
Results of a recent study by the Department of Health indicates that around 3.6 million Filipinos found themselves battling mental disorders during the pandemic. PFA is about comforting someone who might be in distress, and helping them feel safe and calm by applying three basic action principles — look, listen, and link. To look is to assess the situation of the individual seeking help; to listen is to pay active attention to what they’re experiencing and helping them find solutions to their problem; and to link is to address their basic needs like food, water, and medicine, or to connect them to loved ones or to social support when needed.
(L-R) PhilCare President and CEO Joseph Augustin L. Tanco and AMET Area Managing Director Raghu Krishnan
Empowering patients and helpers
“Learning PFA and understanding reactions to crises empowers all of us as helpers,” said Dr. Edgardo Juan Tolentino, former president of the Philippine Psychiatric Association, during the recently held online forum Let’s Talk About Psychological First Aid organized by PhilCare and JJPI.
“PFA is not anything far from physical first aid where you put a bandaid on the shallow wound of an individual, but if the wound is deeper and you can’t control the bleeding, you may have to call the ambulance or bring the person to the ER,” Dr. Tolentino said.
Through this joint effort, PFA training, facilitated by JJPI, will be incorporated into PhilCare’s Mindscapes program for mental wellness. This will allow PhilCare’s mental health professionals to use PFA to treat their patient’s battling anxiety and depression brought on by the pandemic, economic uncertainties, or personal issues.
Mindscapes provides customizable and scalable programs to companies that wish to support their employees’ mental wellness journey. PhilCare also created three prepaid plans to make mental health counseling more accessible and affordable to Filipinos. The PFA that PhilCare and JJPI have adopted is the version that the International Red Cross has been using since March 2020. It specifically targets concerns arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and is more of an evidence-informed intervention.
More than an effort to enhance its well-rounded mental health and wellness initiatives, the collaboration is also part of PhilCare’s 40th anniversary celebration. It signifies the HMO trailblazer’s continuous journey in improving the lives of Filipinos through new and innovative healthcare products and services.
(L-R) PhilCare Associate Medical Director Ultra P. Tan, MD PhilCare Senior Assistant Vice President for Emerging Channels & Partnerships Ma. Abigail Garcia-Lising PhilCare VP for Operations Eilyn Evora-Ayuste, MD PhilCare President and CEO Joseph Augustin L. Tanco AMET Area Managing Director Raghu Krishnan Aina Blaza – Commercial Leader, Janssen Philippines Winester Ramos – Head of Vision Care Conrado Antonio “Dino” Alejandro – Commercial Lead, Ethicon & CSS PH Erwin Benedicto, MD – SEA Portfolio Medical Affairs Director Myki Manalo, MD – Associate Medical Affairs Manager – Neurosciences
Bring back control
“If we can put a theme to the pandemic, it would be ‘we have lost control.’” Dr. Tolentino noted. “When it began in 2020, our days were predictable. We have a schedule. Then suddenly, we find ourselves confined in our homes, with no schedule.”
“The idea is to bring back control by supporting good personal choices. Draw people out by asking them ‘What did you do to help yourself during this time,’ then pick up their positive coping mechanism,” he added.
Dr. Tolentino pointed out that by just being by the side of someone who’s going through a crisis, encouraging their existing coping skills, and not pressing them to give details of their ordeal is already practicing PFA.
PFA can be helpful to people coping with everyday stress and challenges. These people could include healthcare workers and social welfare responders, COVID-19 survivors, families who just lost a loved one, older adults who feel alone, and those with vulnerabilities like mental health and substance abuse problems.
“The goal of PFA is to provide safety, calm and comfort, and connectedness to a person. As well as to promote self-empowerment by giving them back their sense of control,” Dr. Tolentino said.
This is an amazing initiative. Mental health does not get the attention it needs and is so crucial to everyone.
Mental Health awareness is an advantage to everyone – kids, adults, teenagers and even professionals. This is kinda makes sense and hoping this blog can help a lot of people.
This makes so much sense. Pandemics and chronic illness or pain both take as much of a pyschological toll as they do a physical one.
Mental health is one that is underestimated. However more and more attention is being drawn to it in the news and from the public figures and professionals.
I know quite a few people who could use some psychological first aid. Probably myself included as well!
I don’t think any of us really realised that there would be a long recovery period after the pandemic – not just health wise but mentally as well.
Wow that’s such a huge amount of people suffering with mental health problems. I think it’s so important for people to have access to the support they need x
3.6 million filipinos have mental disorder, wow!!! This is sad. I am sure the same thing goes to all other nations. Mental disorder should be taken very very seriously.
This sounds like a really good initiative. There are so many people with mental disorders that are often overlooked.
It is very important to raise awareness about mental health issues and to have support in place. Also just to normalise talking about it too – so your post is very helpful that way!
Mental health issues are really at an all-time high and I wish they would treat it more as health care. For centuries people have been suffering from various mental health issues but it was just too taboo to speak of. I guess the pandemic really brought it to the forefront and made it ‘ok’ to finally talk about openly. There’s still a lot of progress to be made but it’s nice seeing some initiative being taken. It’s a start.
Mental health is so important, and because it’s often not something you can see, it’s normally quite an issue that goes unnoticed. What a great way to help!
It’s true we had lost all controll, but I think it was bound to happen sooner or later
it is so important! I adore the attention bringing to mental health issues. It never feels like getting enough attention. Mental health is probably even more important than physical health. I do think we should support more initiative. such a ‘first aid kit’ sound like a perfect step to take!
It was unusual to have such a drastic schedule change. In some ways it as good (for me) and in others, I missed the routine.
Yes, this make a help
This was so informative. I believe PFA is really wonderful and this was enlightening.
I think more help should be given to those suffering from Mental health illness. I think we all need to be more open about talking about it.
this is my comment
It is very important ti have awareness about mental health issues
Kailangan talaga may kaalaman Tayo sa ating health issues.
Very helpful 👍
Very interesting and this is really helpful. Spread awareness for mental health.
Helpful for our health issues
This is really an important issue to talk about.
So nice very helpful 👌
This is really necessary to pay attention with
This makes so much sense. A topic that need to be talk.
A lot of people were hit mentally and physically during the pandemic and now that it’s over. It’s a little hard to get back on track and adjust fast.