Although the targeted 100 percent face-to-face classes could not be achieved last Wednesday, child welfare advocates welcomed the resumption of in-person classes in most schools nationwide. Apart from the difficulties experienced by learners and educators alike with distance learning, child rights advocates have also stressed the impact of prolonged home confinement on the physical and mental health of children.
The shift to full in-person learning coincides with the observance of the 30th anniversary of National Children’s Month, whose focus this year is on the mental health of children. The previous observance of the special month in 2021 – a year during which COVID-19 claimed the highest number of lives in the country – “firmly established the need to acknowledge mental health as one of the most critical issues” affecting children, requiring attention and response at the national and local levels, according to the Council for the Welfare of Children.
The CWC launched the Sagip Bata Child Protect mobile app last year as an initial referral mechanism for children, parents, caregivers and others. Hotlines were provided for referrals, psychosocial support and interventions in cases of violence and other crisis situations. Based on consultations with children and child rights groups, it was decided that the theme for this year would be the mental health and wellbeing of children: “Kalusugan, Kaisipan at Kapakanan ng Bawat Bata Ating Tutukan.”
Apart from mental health issues caused by the failure to interact with other children outdoors or in a classroom, child welfare groups have also reported spikes in cases of OSAEC or online sexual abuse and exploitation of children during the COVID lockdowns. The problem is aggravated when parents or guardians themselves are the ones trafficking children for sex.
Even before the pandemic, however, the National Center for Mental Health or NCMH had already sounded the alarm on mental health problems among Filipino youth. The Global School-Based Student Health Survey conducted in 2015 showed that suicide was the second leading cause of death among Filipinos aged 15 to 29. The study showed that seven percent of high school students aged 13 to 15 had attempted to kill themselves; 12 percent had seriously considered suicide while 11 percent had planned it.
During the lockdowns, the NCMH reported that suicide-related calls to its Crisis Hotline across all age groups tripled, with minors accounting for a high number. The callers cited stressful life incidents, sadness, anxiety, bullying in-person or in cyberspace, personal or family problems, abuse or violence and problems in their formal education.
Addressing mental health issues is complex enough among adults; among children, the problem can be challenging even to detect. Confronting the problem will require concerted efforts from the national to the community level, and among various sectors of society.