Duterte signs Philippine Mental Health Law
President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law Republic Act No. 11036 or the Philippine Mental Health Law.
The new law assures protection of the rights and welfare of persons in need of mental health assistance by integrating mental health care system and facilities in major hospitals in Metro Manila and in provincial hospitals across the country.
“The public has now to accept, kapag nagkaroon po ng mga ganito,they need help,” said Senate Committee on Health and Demography Chairman JV Ejercito.
The government assured to provide enough fund for the enactment of the law. Mental health care is expected to be integrated into the coverage of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth.)
On the downside, Senator Ejercito expressed concern over the ongoing controversy that PhilHealth is facing. The Senator said, it might compromise the full implementation of the Mental Health Law.
“We have to make sure that PhilHealth’s performance in the financial standing would be very good to implement the universal health care and mental health care as well,” Ejercito said.
Senate is still investigating the issue of irregularities in PhilHealth particularly the alleged unauthorized transfer of P10.6 billion state insurance fund to a certain program of the Department of Health. – Nel Maribojoc / Marje Pelayo
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