By virtue of Republic Act No. 10661, signed on 29 May 2015, November is declared as National Children’s Month highlighting the theme, “Kalusugan, Kaisipan at Kapakanan ng Bawat Bata Ating Tutukan”. It is a month-long celebration for children which strives to provide the accessibility of interventions supporting the mental health and general well-being of Filipino children.
This year’s celebration is being led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), and National Youth Commission (NYC) wherein activities have been lined up that will focus on children’s mental health.
Without a question, every child has their own rights regardless of their racial background, ethnicity, gender, or religion. All children have the right to a high quality of living, as well as the right to health, nutrition, education, family and play. They also have the right to be protected from abuse and violence.
The formative years of life—childhood and adolescence—are crucial for mental health. The wellbeing and development of children are influenced by the environment in which they are raised. When children's mental health and psychosocial development are neglected, it may have long-term impacts that persist into adulthood that may reduce opportunities for them to lead satisfying lives.
And due to Covid-19, concerns on child’s mental health have become alarming since according from the National Center for Mental Health Crisis Hotline of the Department of Health (DOH), 9.7% of all calls were about suicide, and many of them were made by minors who had been bullied, depressed, anxious, or stressed out by family issues, troubles in school, or other factors.
With the continued disruption brought by the pandemic, the nutrition of a child has also been compromised which may also have an impact on their mental health. Good nutrition should be available to all children if we want to support their mental health and help them attain their full potential. It is very important to address the nutritional needs of a growing child especially when taking their mental health into account.
Therefore, all children must be provided with appropriate and good nutrition as well as support for their mental health and overall well-being to ensure that all children have a bright future filled with health and prosperity. (Development Management Officer II (PNFP) Lizelle L. Bete / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 0963-1090-198)
References:
Celebrating National Children’s Month. (2022, October 31). Maharlika TV. https://maharlika.tv/2022/10/31/celebrating-national-childrens-month/
INQUIRER.net. (2022, November 4). DSWD bares new flagship program to strengthen mental health efforts. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1689078/dswd-bares-new-flagship-program-to-strengthen-mental-health-efforts
Improving the mental and brain health of children and adolescents. (2022b, March 2). https://www.who.int/activities/improving-the-mental-and-brain-health-of-children-and-adolescents
Republic Act No. 10661. (2015, May). https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/
