New NCMH building for patients with criminal cases

MANILA, Philippines — To help decongest the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH), the Department of Health (DOH) said a new building is now under construction to house patients, specifically those with criminal cases.

“We already started putting up this pavilion wherein phase one is expected to be completed by the end of the month. There will also be phase two, (though) its funding is to be taken from the 2024 budget. But at least, we can already start decongesting the pavilion,” DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire yesterday said.

She added, “We saw that this space for these specific patients is already congested.”

The health official was referring to the pavilion where patients with criminal cases are being housed.

According to the DOH, the pavilion was built to accommodate around 300 patients only.

“Unfortunately, through the years, the space became congested because even though there were patients that have been treated and were ready and competent to face their charges in court, they have not yet been endorsed and placed under the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology,” Vergeire explained.

The DOH OIC likewise said they are open to any kind of investigation concerning the situation in the NCMH.