AN ORDINANCE creating the Mental Health Division under the City Health Office has been presented before the city council to address rising cases of psychological illnesses, particularly depression among teenagers. Under the proposed Mental Health Code of Davao City, authored by Councilor Mary Joselle D. Villafuerte, the new division will be headed by a psychiatrist, with a psychologist and nurse per district, and a social worker trained with mental health. “They will comprise the health division and they will have their own secretary, own office and supply,” Ms. Villafuerte said. She attributed the increasing number of cases to rapid urbanization. “Now people have no time to do that (relax) because everybody is moving too fast… feeling tired when they get home. We expect more people will be suffering from mental health disorders due to rapid urbanization of the city. All the more we should be prepared for such possible problems,” she said. The councilor said they will also be coordinating with the city’s Human Resource Management Office for the budget needed for the mental health unit as well as ask the local government for initial of P5 million for the construction of a halfway house for patients. — Maya M. Padillo

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