‘Bipolar Support Group,’ first in Cebu, launched in Lahug

Manuel Pocholo de los Santos, a psychologist and the program director of the Barangay Behavioral Health Unit (BBHU)-Lahug, discussed bipolar disorder with clients on Tuesday, December 19. | CDN Photo/ Pia Piquero

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The first community-based mental health support group in Cebu was finally launched at Barangay Lahug in Cebu City to give the grassroots community more access to mental healthcare and education.

The “Bipolar Support Group” was established by the Barangay Behavioral Health Unit (BBHU)-Lahug to cater to clients suffering from bipolar conditions.

READ: Mental health must be top priority, says Cebu clinical psychologist

What is a bipolar disorder?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a mental illness that causes unusual shifts in a person’s mood, energy, activity levels, and concentration.

“This is to bring down mental health at the grassroots level kay lisod kaayo i-promote ang awareness ani. We’ve been here for several years and frustrating kaayo nga wala gyu’y maminaw og mental healh,” said Manuel Pocholo de los Santos, the program director of BBHU-Lahug on Tuesday, December 19 during the launching.

(This is to bring down mental health at the grassroots level because it is difficult to promote awareness in this. We’ve been here for several years and this is very frustrating that there is no one who would listen to mental health.)

READ: Cebu City Health Dep’t should have program for suicide prevention — dad

Stigma

De los Santos, who is also a registered psychologist, explained that due to the ongoing stigma surrounding mental health in the Philippines, people, especially students, tend to disregard symptoms related to these conditions.

“We want to redefine it [mental health]. We want to help the Philippines. We are one hundred years behind America, so mao na amo purpose (so that is our purpose),” he said.

De los Santos also said that the program would be open to everyone and would provide free services to those who would be part of the disadvantaged community.

READ: How to protect your mental health while reading news on war

Operating like a hospital

“We are operating like a hospital, but wala miy in-patient. We do consult, diagnosis, we do out-patient treatments, but wala miy pariho sa hospital nga isulod gyud sila kay wala miy space,” De los Santos said.

(We are operating like a hospital, but we don’t have in-patient (services). We do consult, give diagnosis, we do outpatient treatments, but we are not the same as a hospital that they will be admitted because we don’t have the space.)

De los Santos noted that Cebu had only one psychiatric ward, which is why some patients from city health or the DSWD are referred to his office.

“We started to cater to Lahug constituents only, but nakadungog ang lain nga barangay, they started going here, even city health nagsige padala og referrals diri,” he said.

(We started to cater to Lahug constituents only, but the other barangays heard about it, they started going here, even city health had always brought referrals here.)

READ: Preventing a mental health crisis

Certification needed

Regarding the requirements, the program director stated, “You need to have a certification from the referring agency, and if para sa mga barangay gani, para libre you need to have a certification na indigent ka. Kami nagstart man gyud mi na para lang gyud nis mga wala’y ikagasto. Mao libre siya because we can identify the indigents sa amo barangay sa Lahug, libre baya pati amo tambal.”

(You need to have a certification from the referring agency, and if this is for the barangay, to avail of free services, you need to have a certification that you are an indigent. We started this for those who have no money to pay. That is why it is free because we can identify the indigents in our barangay Lahug, the medicine is still free.)

Meanwhile, the program director mentioned that this initiative was supported by City Ordinance No. 2681, authored by Cebu City Councilor Mary Ann de los Santos, and was approved last May.

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