With the stress, anxiety, and chaos of living in the 21st century, the issue of mental health has never been more critical. And especially in this pandemic, populations and communities are facing difficulties in terms of mental health investment and making mental health services open and accessible to many.
The University of the Philippines (UP) joins the global celebration of World Mental Health Day on October 10 as declared by the World Health Organization. This year’s celebration takes on the slogan “Mental health care for all: let’s make it a reality,” in recognition of the need to scale up quality mental health services at all levels and to find new ways of providing mental health care to the people.
In keeping as well with Proclamation No. 452, which designates every second week of October as National Mental Health Week, the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA) and Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) launched the “Sandigan, Sandalan: Training and Advocacy Programs for Mental Health.” One of the component projects of the “Sandigan, Sandalan” initiative is the Search for UP Student Mental Health Advocacy Projects, a UP System-wide search for innovative mental health (MH) promotion ideas from eligible student organizations and groups.
This project also aims to transform students into active partners for mental health promotion in the University, thus helping to create a network of advocates for a healthy and nurturing UP. The end result of the search is the top 10 mental health advocacy projects organized by student organizations across the UP System:
- UP Behavioral Science Society: October 2020 Mental Health Month Celebration, BehSci x Mental Health: Information Campaign Series on Mental Health Mars, Musta Ka Na?: Discussions on Mental Health Amidst the Pandemic;
- Samahan ng mga Mag-aaral ng Teknolohiyang Panlipunan UPLB DALUYONG: Bridging the Gaps of Isolation in these Trying Times;
- UP Medical Student for Social Responsibility AKAP: Psychological First Aid Workshop;
- UP Halycon- Halcyon Headlines;
- UPV- Partido sang Mainuswagon nga Bumulutho: Isip Mo Sagip Ko; Bookmark This: You Matter Bookmark Donation Drive;
- Association for Computing Machinery – UP Diliman Student Chapter Inc. Student Chapter Inc.: ACcoMpany;
- Family Life and Child Development Circle-Tahanan: Tayo-tayo para sa Pamilyang Pilipino;
- Philippine Association of Nutrition – Alpha Chapter: Mental Health Mondays;
- UP Bukluran sa Sikolohiyang Pilipino (UP Buklod-Isip), UP Psychology Society (UP PsychSoc), UP Psychological Understanding for Growth and Distinction Society (UP PUGAD Sayk), UP Diliman University Student Council, BUKLOD CSSP, and COPE UP – UP Mental Health Month
- UP Red Cross Youth – Kaakbay: Psychological First Aid and the Importance of Mental Health Care during COVID-19.
Click here to view the series of video presentations of mental health projects and find out how UP students can help promote mental health in the University.
