Mental health is something that you can’t joke about; it is a very serious matter where one’s life can be at risk at any time. As students, figuring out how to manage our own mental health while studying and setting priorities is always challenging for both of us. It’s bearable for us, and I hope others can handle it too. Students, teachers, and even staff in schools are experiencing various diseases and disorders related to mental health, such as depression, stress, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and even suicide. 

According to the World Health Organization, 16.8 percent of 13- to 17-year-old Filipino students attempted suicide at least once in the previous year. This is just one of many indicators of these children's mental health. These statistics on children's mental health are concerning because childhood is a critical period during which most mental health disorders develop. According to experts, COVID-19 has the potential to exacerbate healthcare delivery in the Philippines, including young people's mental health. Always remember that you and anyone else in this world matter.

That’s why it’s absolutely essential to offer mental health services in schools, and for the philanthropy community in the Philippines to prioritize this issue. Your signature will show them just how urgent this issue is. 

We, Charlene Hernandez and John Cloyd Madrigal are calling on the philanthropic community to address and prioritize this issue. National and local governments alone won’t solve this, and we can’t afford to wait. Join us in advocating for more mental health resources in schools and educational settings by signing this petition and showing the philanthropy community how much this matters to you.

We need the philanthropic community to help us raise funds to increase access to mental health services like social and emotional learning, mental health training for teaching and non-teaching professionals for mentally healthy teaching, suicide prevention, and crisis response assistance for those in need.