Mandaue plans to train teachers on how to deal with mental health issues

The Mandaue City Hall. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa

MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — The Mandaue City government plans to train all teachers of the Department of Education in Mandaue City on how to deal with mental health issues as part of the implementation of the city’s Mental Health Ordinance.

Lawyer Ebenezer Daryl Manzano, head of the Mandaue City Substance Abuse Prevention Office (MCSAPO), said that Mayor Jonas Cortes really pushed this to the mental health board since teachers were the ‘first line of defense’ in schools.

READ: DepEd 7 chief: 100 guidance counselors needed for schools in Central Visayas

Filling lack of guidance counselors

This was aside from filling the lack of registered guidance counselors or psychometricians in some of the schools which were raised by the representative of DepEd-Mandaue during the inaugural session of the board last week, Manzano said.

Manzano said they noticed that some of the teacher’s recollections after a suicide incident in school was that they remembered that the student was able to mention a thing before the incident happened.

“If trained atoa teachers at that moment naa tay nahimo nga intervention. It is not to cast doubt sa gibuhat sa DepEd no, atoa lang to learn from the experience, be well-suited para dili na mahitabo the next time around. Gusto lang nato, gusto pod ni Mayor nga i-train tanan teachers. Dili lang teachers apil staff sa DepEd and city, to make sure dili na mahitabo sa school setting… Kay moredown man gud na siya sa benefit sa city as well,” said Manzano.

(If trained, our teachers at that moment could have made an intervention. It is not to cast doubt on what DepEd did, what we want is to learn from the experience, be well suited so that this will not happen the next time around. What we just want, and what the mayor wants is to train all teachers. Not just all teachers, but also the DepEd  and the city, to make sure that this will not happen in a school setting…because this will also redown to the benefit of the city.)

READ: Mandaue eyes full implementation of Mental Health Ordinance in brgys, workplaces

DepEd training selected teachers

Teachers will be trained about mental health issues, to be more aware of how to detect signs, children with suicidal ideation, and how they can handle the situation, he said.

Earlier, DepEd-Mandaue spokesperson, Marinel Oro, said that DepEd were training selected teachers about mental health.

Moreover, for workplaces, Manzano said that Kellie Ko, president of Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also signed a pledge of commitment to make sure that all businesses located in Mandaue would have their mental health policy, during the city’s celebration of the World Suicide Prevention Day on Monday, Sept. 11.

READ: Delos Santos proposes creation of SAP to offer psychosocial support to students

Pledge of commitment

Aside from DepEd and MCCI, Manzano said that the representatives of the higher education, private schools, among others had also signed a pledge of commitment.

“All suicides are preventable. Ang atoa lang ana is ma-make sure lang nato nga at the earliest portion nga free flowing ang conversation and communication sa mga parties. Dili man gud na siya mo-result og ingun ana. Diha na siya murag mograbe if ever one side feels lesser than the other and the only recourse they have is to end suffering by committing suicide,” said Manzano. 

(All suicides are preventable. What we just want is to make sure that at the earliest portion there will be a free flowing conversation and communication of the parties. That could not have resulted in that. That will worsen if ever one side feels lesser than the other and the only recourse they have is to end suffering by committing suicide.)

READ: Pandemic fuels suicidal thoughts in youth

Mental health committees in Mandaue

City Councilor Nerissa Soon-Ruiz, chairman of the Committee on Health and a member of the Mental Health Board, said that she was thankful that Mayor Jonas Cortes signed the ordinance because mental health committees in each of the barangays were created.

Soon-Ruiz said that these committees, who would implement various programs in their respective barangays, would be very helpful to possibly minimize cases of suicide in the city.

These can be prevented

She said that 21 suicide deaths from January to August this year were recorded by the City Health Office. Most of these were men, she added.

“It is very alarming. We cannot just discard the weight of the suicide. Attempts of suicide can be prevented, there is hope. Dili nato wad-on ang paglaum (We should not lose hope), we should help these people,” said Soon-Ruiz.