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Think Tank | TMT Newsroom

Expert sheds light on mental health issues, concerns, treatment

Karen Ibañez from the Clinical Psychologist of Mental Health Support Solutions Philippines, is interviewed by The Manila Times' Lifestyle and Entertainment editor, Tessa Mauricio-Arriola, and reporters Red Mendoza and Via Bianca Ramones at the TMT Newsroom on July 9, 2024.

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Transcript
00:00Good morning and welcome to the Manila Times newsroom.
00:08This is Tessa Mauricio-Arreola and I'm here today with two of our reporters to interview
00:13a very, very interesting lady.
00:15Our guest today started her career in the mental health service in 2007 as an assistant
00:20psychologist focusing on assessment and diagnosis.
00:24She is a licensed psychologist and psychometrician and has taught in a public university as assistant
00:30professor.
00:32She's also an academic officer at Careerline Courses Limited and an online education provider
00:38in Australia.
00:40She graduated from PUP in clinical psychology where she also acquired her master's.
00:46Please welcome to the Manila Times newsroom, Ms. Karen Ibanez.
00:50Hi, good morning.
00:52I would like to introduce my fellow hosts for the day, of course, Red Mendoza, one of
00:58our senior reporters and our newest reporter for the Healthbeat, Via Bianca Ramones.
01:07We've decided to include our young reporters to interview today because obviously we'll
01:13be talking about mental health, Ms. Karen, and I think mental health is a topic that
01:18really kind of came into our consciousness when the millennials started working.
01:24Mental health suddenly became such a topic.
01:26Is that correct?
01:27Is that when it started to become something that we are all concerned about?
01:32Mental health actually is already in the consciousness of the millennials, so to speak.
01:39However, it got more mainstream during the pandemic when everyone got in this abnormal
01:48situation and we basically don't know what to do.
01:51So this is where the mental health started, the discussion about mental health started
01:57to go in front more this way.
02:01Yes.
02:02I believe I came from a generation where usually you're just told to sort of grin and bear
02:07it.
02:08Yes, yes.
02:09If you go and work, if it becomes difficult, nothing is easy and things like that.
02:15I think people obviously of a certain generation had to adjust to this whole idea of mental
02:22health issues.
02:23So has it become a bigger problem, do you think, when it comes to the workforce, besides
02:31the pandemic?
02:32Yeah, definitely.
02:33It's because we're working with different generations already.
02:38So there's the boomer generation, the Gen X, the millennials, and Gen Z under one workforce
02:46or one work culture.
02:48Wherein with the Gen MZ, they have mental health as one of their priority or their non-negotiables
02:59when they join a company.
03:01However, the older generations, the boomers and then the Gen X, wherein they thought to
03:09be more gritty, you have to have gumption, you have to have perseverance, despite of
03:14the stresses, despite of the issues, despite of the problems.
03:18So there's a clash between the two.
03:21So basically what they're doing in the companies is to how to get along and how to compromise
03:30these values in order to have a better working environment.
03:36This is where you come in.
03:37Yes.
03:38Yes.
03:39Just very briefly, do tell us what you do as a consultant to a particular company.
03:43Yes, right now I'm a consultant.
03:46I'm one of the Filipino psychologists, a consultant for Mental Health Support Solutions.
03:52And Mental Health Support Solutions is a company that focuses on maritime psychology.
03:57So we take care of the mental health of our seafarers as well as the land-based employees
04:05that deal with the seafarers' concern because definitely the nature of their work is different
04:11from us who are working on shore.
04:15So it's a different type of stress that they encounter.
04:21And of course, the usual stressors that they have to contend with as well.
04:26Can you define first mental health just to make the context more clear to our viewers?
04:32Yeah.
04:33Contrary to the idea that when we talk about mental health, it's all about illnesses, it's
04:39all about stress, it's all about anxiety and depression.
04:42When we discuss mental health, actually it's how your state of mind and how well you are
04:51coping with the day-to-day stressors and how are you doing your expected functions
04:57in life, at work, and also how are you contributing as a member of the community despite all stressors
05:07and all these expectations that are given to you as a person.
05:12So that's generally what mental health is.
05:15If you're doing these things well despite the daily stressors that you have in life
05:21and also your personal problems, then we can say that you are in good mental health.
05:28So in your experience, how do Filipinos generally view mental health concerns?
05:33Okay, so it differs from generation.
05:38So again, the older generation tend to view it as something lacking more in personal values
05:46like in terms of faith, in terms of their perseverance, those things.
05:51But the younger generation, they acknowledge the fact that mental health problems do exist
05:57and if you ignore it, it can become something worse.
06:01So that's why you need to pay attention to it immediately or you need to give first aid.
06:08So just like a wound, you need to give first aid to it so it would not worsen.
06:13So of course, what do you see as the biggest challenges when it comes to Filipinos seeking mental health?
06:22I know mental is somewhat new to a new concept.
06:27Not necessarily a new concept but a novel concept that we only knew very recently.
06:33So what are the main challenges when Filipinos seek mental health in overall terms?
06:40Also based on your experience.
06:42Yes, so it's quite difficult to convince them to seek mental health support
06:47especially since the younger generation are still dependent on their parents
06:54who belong to the older generation.
06:56So definitely they would say,
06:58oh, you don't need to see a counselor, you just need so and so and so and so.
07:05So since these people are the ones who are going to support them to seek mental health support,
07:13so basically they are being stopped or they are being held back because of disbelief.
07:26So that's one of the challenges that they have.
07:29In other words, the parents are not informed.
07:34There needs to be education in terms of mental health support.
07:40Yes, but it's so interesting that there were certain phrases that you used earlier
07:46that I just want to go back to in relation to what Red has been asking.
07:51But first of all, I suppose what we can ask you is what are the red flags?
07:55Let's say I'm a parent, I'm not very knowledgeable in terms of
08:00if my children's mental health is somewhat in danger, I don't know how you call it.
08:08What are the red flags?
08:09And then later on, I'll come back to what you said that you need to give first aid.
08:14That's very interesting.
08:15How do you give first aid to something like that?
08:18You can't put a ban on it.
08:20So red flags first.
08:22Red flags when it comes to mental health problems,
08:26you have to see the pattern of behavior in terms of how are they sleeping.
08:35Are they sleeping a lot?
08:37Are they sleeping less?
08:39So those things.
08:40In terms of the appetite as well, you have to look or you have to observe
08:45are they eating more or are they eating less?
08:48Because sometimes these are already signs that there is something going on.
08:53And then in terms of the things that they do or the things that they usually find interesting
09:01or pleasurable before you would notice them suddenly abandoning these hobbies or these interests.
09:09So they're not doing it anymore.
09:10And when you ask them, what's happening?
09:12Why aren't you doing this and this and this?
09:15They would just say, oh, nothing much because I just don't want to.
09:20So there are really obvious changes.
09:22So it's not just like a one-off.
09:25Because I'll just tell you my son, I just think he's a smart aleck.
09:29One time I was telling him off, he did something wrong.
09:32So the next thing I knew, he was already on his computer and playing games.
09:36So I was like, you just did something wrong.
09:39I don't think you deserve to be playing on a computer.
09:41And then he said to me, he goes, but it's how I cope.
09:45So I said, wow, my son kind of knows what to tell me.
09:50But that only happened once.
09:52He eats well and sleeps well.
09:54So I think he was just being, you have to spot those things.
09:58Because people have started to use mental health as an excuse for many things.
10:04And that's what we have to be careful with.
10:06So those are red flags.
10:08Because parents should know if their children aren't sleeping enough.
10:13Or not eating as much.
10:15Or generally has changed their behavior.
10:19And it happens over a certain period of time.
10:22It's not just a one-off.
10:24So how do you give first aid to that?
10:28Ah, yes, that's a good question.
10:30We have what we call psychological first aid.
10:33And usually psychological first aid are the ones that we do
10:37when the person is exposed to very stressful events or traumatic incidents.
10:43Like for example, the Yolanda typhoon.
10:46So what the group of psychologists did is to give psychological first aid.
10:52Because it is a very traumatic experience for the people
10:58who were displaced because of that typhoon.
11:02At home, it's not so much as that traumatic.
11:07But then when you already spot that the person has stressors,
11:12you can already offer them support.
11:18Like, you seem to be down.
11:20Or you seem to have a problem these days.
11:22Do you want to talk about it?
11:24Or do you want me to keep you company?
11:26So just saying these things are already giving first aid to the person
11:31who might be needing help.
11:33It's not necessary that we always have to talk about things.
11:37Because there are some people who tend to warm up very slowly.
11:44So it might take them time before they open up about their problems.
11:48So simple things like that.
11:50Just listening and just being there for them.
11:53Their presence is enough for them to feel that they are supported
11:58and that there's someone who is willing to help them
12:01through what they are going through.
12:04Is it a good idea, especially if it's a father and a son,
12:10and maybe your son comes to you and says,
12:15I kind of have this problem in school.
12:17Bullying, that's an issue.
12:19That's one of the things that would really be a problem for children.
12:24But fathers tend to always tell their sons,
12:28toughen up.
12:30Deal with it.
12:32Are these words that we should be telling our children today?
12:36It's quite difficult because we also want the children
12:42to have this gumption.
12:47We want them to deal with these problems on their own.
12:52So for me, it's pretty much I'm in the middle
12:56because I was raised that way.
12:58So you have to deal with it.
13:00And I feel like I'm okay in terms of my mental health.
13:04However, we have to acknowledge the fact that
13:07the generation today is different from ours.
13:10That they need to be talked to
13:14and you need to open this type of discussion
13:18by giving them the values that you think that they should have
13:23and letting them decide what they should do given that situation.
13:30It's not that we're going to take away their autonomy from them
13:35by dealing with the problem ourselves.
13:38But it's more on giving them the choice
13:41that what do you think you should do if this happens to you
13:45or this is happening to you.
13:47What do you think would be a better option?
13:49How young can a person start having mental health issues?
13:54Oh, there are cases as young as four years old.
13:58Really? Wow.
13:59Yes, yes.
14:00In the U.S., they have those cases.
14:02There are four-year-olds who are already suffering from depression.
14:07Or there were even worse cases that I have read about
14:12wherein there are children suffering from schizophrenia.
14:17Oh, my goodness.
14:18As young as that age.
14:20Here in the Philippines, I'm not sure if it's because
14:24we lack the statistics, the accurate statistics,
14:27because of, let's be honest,
14:30we don't have really a good mental health care here in the country yet.
14:35So that's why we don't have the accurate numbers yet
14:40to see what's happening in terms of the mental health of children.
14:46And also the sad part is maybe those who probably are suffering
14:51from mental health are probably those who cannot really afford
14:54to seek help from professionals like yourself.
14:59So it's really a huge topic.
15:02When you talk about this, you have to talk about social media.
15:05You have to talk about family life and all these things.
15:10And even politics, you have to talk about politics
15:13because that's a big factor that affects how programs for mental health
15:18will be implemented.
15:20Yes, that's true.
15:21So we have actually a law about daily mental health.
15:25So how can the Mental Health Act, the Republic Act 11036,
15:29be better implemented to improve access to care?
15:33That's a good question.
15:35Actually, one of the things that are written in that particular Republic Act
15:42is that there should be a mental health program in all sectors.
15:48But unfortunately, we're quite slow to abide to that particular regulation.
15:56One of the sectors that I found who immediately complied
16:06or did what's being regulated here is the maritime industry.
16:14The shipping company is owned by foreigners or people,
16:20mostly Europeans.
16:22I work with them.
16:24Since they are also big on mental health, they immediately implemented this thing.
16:29So this is why the seafarers, aside from their technical training,
16:33they also get mental health awareness training.
16:38They also get psychological first aid training.
16:41So they would know what to do when they are on board.
16:44Before going to sea.
16:46So that's a big change, I suppose, in how they're sent.
16:52So that when they are stressed out, they would know what they can do with the stress.
16:59Of course, when all things fail, then that's the time that they can seek help from us.
17:06So they know that we are in place.
17:08They know that we are there to help them out, even though they are on the sea.
17:15So these are, of course, our OFWs at sea.
17:19What's the most common problem missing their families?
17:25First of all, I suppose that's what their big thing is.
17:31Or not really?
17:32Is it being trapped at sea?
17:35Not really.
17:38Actually, that was quite surprising.
17:40I was also expecting that most of them would be having problems about homesickness.
17:47But since I've been with MHSS for four years so far,
17:53I only encountered one or two concerns like that.
17:59Most of their concerns are more on work-related stress.
18:02Because they have long hours.
18:05They have long hours and sometimes bullying, unfortunately.
18:12Because, of course, difference in nationality.
18:16Of course, we also have the ranking system.
18:22Since they have hierarchy, sometimes there are really those officers
18:28that tend to go over the line when it comes to their power.
18:35Those are some of the concerns that I have encountered.
18:38I think what is good to know with what you've said to us,
18:41because the owners of these huge companies are foreign
18:46and quite a lot of their employees are Filipinos.
18:49There is that concern from the topmost level.
18:55I'm glad that these things are being addressed.
19:00I suppose in the past, they just really had to deal with it.
19:03Yes, definitely.
19:07Some of my clients have told me that sometimes they just toughen it up.
19:15Because they cannot go against that officer,
19:19else they might lose their job.
19:22They have stressors on top of this bullying that they are experiencing.
19:28They have these other concerns that make it difficult for them.
19:33Slowly but surely, the higher-ups, I mean the bosses,
19:38are also being trained, obviously.
19:41Yes, definitely.
19:43The effort is multi-level.
19:46We do mental health training to the officers
19:51since they handle the people on board.
19:55They can already spot the seafarer who is already going through something
20:01in terms of their mental health.
20:04Of course, we have the ratings to attend the mental health awareness
20:13so that they also have this awareness of what's wrong with them
20:19when they see or when they spot these symptoms that we explain to them.
20:25Even with helping out their fellow crew members,
20:29how they can help out when they see this crew member showing these signs or symptoms.
20:36Do you find that our fellow crew members at sea,
20:42are they willing to actually acknowledge that they're going through something
20:48and are they willing to seek help?
20:51I'm sure a lot of these are men.
20:54Men don't usually want to admit that they're going through something mentally.
21:02Is it changing, I hope?
21:04Yes.
21:06I think what you're mentioning is the macho culture that we have.
21:11Yes, Red would know that.
21:15Macho, yes.
21:17Surprisingly, they are being more open about seeking mental health support.
21:24It's just really letting them know that help is available whenever you need it
21:31and the right help that you would need.
21:35Because before, one of the things that hinders them from seeking help
21:42is because of the language.
21:44Although we speak English, sometimes they cannot really express everything
21:50that well to the psychologist that the company hired
21:54because the psychologist is English-speaking.
21:57Of course, the psychologist doesn't understand the culture,
22:01where they're coming from, the perspective.
22:04Now that we have this sort of help wherein the help understands your language,
22:12understands the perspective of where you're coming from,
22:17then it's easier for them to open up to us.
22:20We're getting more and more calls from them.
22:23It's really easy for them to open up
22:27because one of the things that they struggle with
22:31is sharing it with their fellow seafarers
22:35because sometimes they feel that they cannot do it,
22:39especially if the topic is very personal for them.
22:43I suppose there might be people watching us
22:46who have their small businesses maybe and offices and things like that.
22:49Even here at The Times, we just can't show you
22:53but our president, Dante Ang II,
22:58has been very concerned about mental health in the newsroom.
23:02The stress of deadlines.
23:04We have our bamboo wall.
23:06There was a time, before the pandemic, we'd always be here.
23:12He'd have some scents in the room to relax us.
23:16Then we'd watch movies.
23:18What I really love is to have someone giving a massage.
23:23Is that allowed?
23:25Ma'am, what are the simplest things that business owners,
23:29office managers can do to help out
23:33in the state of mental health of their employees?
23:36In the workroom?
23:40It depends on the workplace.
23:42I cannot really have a general idea.
23:46Based on my experience,
23:49one of the things that helps us deal well with stress in the work
23:55is our coffee hand.
23:58We have this weekly coffee hand
24:01in the university where I used to work within our department.
24:05We just drink coffee and talk about things.
24:09It's our way of de-stressing, unloading.
24:12We're sharing the problems together.
24:17Because we always have this saying in psychology,
24:21a problem shared is a problem half-solved.
24:25Even though we're not really resolving the problem,
24:29the physical problem or the tangible problem,
24:33we felt better after that coffee hand session.
24:36Yeah.
24:38Bia, have you got any more on your list to ask Ms. Karen?
24:44Do you think, ma'am,
24:46there are enough qualified mental health professionals in the country,
24:50especially in rural areas?
24:52Or when can one seek a mental health consultation?
24:59I'd like to buttress Bia's question
25:01because the government is pushing so hard on mental health.
25:05It's one of the main agendas of Secretary Ted Eboza.
25:09But it seems that Filipinos are not familiar
25:15with the services being given by the government.
25:18Can you share with us what are the services
25:21that the government and private sector partners like you offer
25:26for Filipinos who are seeking mental health?
25:29Of course, they always think that mental health
25:32has a very bad stigma.
25:36Can you shed light on how you help Filipinos
25:42to have them consult on mental health issues?
25:47Okay.
25:49First things first,
25:51in terms of having professionals,
25:54of course, we do have professionals in the field.
25:57But unfortunately,
25:59not everyone who goes to the field practices.
26:04So that's the problem.
26:06And this is because,
26:08I think, of course, the pay as well.
26:11And then the ratio of the people seeking help
26:16in the practitioner.
26:18So actually,
26:20when I look up the statistics here in the Philippines,
26:22there is still one mental health practitioner
26:31to 1,000 patients.
26:35So that's a very big number.
26:38And unfortunately,
26:41every licensure,
26:43I think there are about 200 who pass the licensure exam.
26:49But not all practice.
26:52Psychology.
26:54So that's why the ones in the practice
26:58get bombarded with a lot of patients.
27:02And then, of course, we cannot cater to everyone.
27:06And of course, not all patients can also afford our fees.
27:12So that's where the problem comes in.
27:15And when we do direct them to government-funded programs
27:19such as the helpline for...
27:22National Center for Mental Health.
27:24National Center for Mental Health has a helpline.
27:28Philippine Mental Health Association also has a helpline, so to speak.
27:33But then again,
27:35it can only cater to a certain number of clients
27:39because of the lack of manpower and fundings for that one.
27:44So that's where the problem lies.
27:45So on the part of the private sector,
27:50our company in particular,
27:52what we do is we offer mental health services
27:56not only to the seafarers
27:58and not only to the land-based employee,
28:01but also to the nuclear families.
28:05Oh, that's good.
28:07Yes, because somehow it helps to ease the burden
28:12or the number of people who would need mental health help.
28:20So that's what we also offer in terms of our services.
28:27Ma'am, you said that you offer your services
28:31to the immediate family members, the nuclear families.
28:34What normally are the problems or mental health issues
28:38that the family members of your clients face in general terms?
28:45For the family members, of course, the stressors
28:49here and their surroundings.
28:54So I had one client in particular
28:58who's a child of the seafarer
29:01and she reported about being stressed academically.
29:05So that's what the stressor is.
29:08And then she wants to do well in school
29:12despite that the father, the seafarer,
29:17is not really demanding any high honors from her.
29:21It's just that you just study well
29:23for as long as you pass your subjects,
29:26I'm okay with it.
29:28We're not pushing you to become an honors student,
29:31so on and so forth.
29:32The student or the child really wants to get
29:36that honor from her school.
29:41So that's what's stressing her out.
29:44Based on your experiences,
29:46I mean, you've been doing this practice
29:48for nearly 15 years already,
29:50and of course, teaching psychology as well.
29:53What do you think are the main mental health issues
29:57that Filipinos normally face?
29:58One of the reasons why most of the statistics
30:02show the prevalence of mental health issues
30:07is in the younger bracket.
30:10It's because of the fact that
30:12the younger generations are more open.
30:14Social media, they actually say it out.
30:19Sometimes they self-diagnose.
30:22So that's one of the problems also.
30:24So they self-diagnose
30:26without asking for proper help,
30:30without being assessed properly
30:32by the professionals.
30:34Sometimes they would say,
30:36oh, I have this, oh, I have this.
30:38Even when I was teaching,
30:41one of my students mentioned,
30:43oh, I'm neurodivergent.
30:45And I asked her,
30:47do you know what it means?
30:49Do you know what it means?
30:51Oh, no, ma'am.
30:52I just noticed that
30:54I also have the same characteristics
30:58as this person that I saw on TikTok,
31:00blah, blah, blah.
31:02Then I told my student,
31:04no, you have to be assessed
31:06and diagnosed for you to claim that
31:10before you claim that.
31:12And being neurodivergent
31:14is something that should be
31:16a badge of honor.
31:18It's something that some people
31:20really suffer from.
31:22Where are you going to be first?
31:24Because I noticed self-diagnosis.
31:26Yeah.
31:28In social media, it's prevalent.
31:30How can we prevent
31:32people going into social media
31:35or even in search engines
31:37telling themselves that
31:39I'm neurodivergent,
31:41I might have bipolar disorder.
31:43How can we prevent
31:45these kinds of self-diagnosis?
31:47There are,
31:49in relation to that,
31:51there are professionals,
31:53mental health professionals
31:55who are doing
31:57their own
31:59information campaign
32:01to somehow
32:03address this misinformation
32:05on the social media.
32:07So what they do is
32:09to clarify.
32:11So they,
32:13I'm not using TikTok,
32:15so I'm not really,
32:17so they stitch
32:19the video from the
32:21one that's spreading
32:23misinformation
32:25and they correct the information
32:27with their details.
32:29So that's one of the things
32:31that they do.
32:32And on my side,
32:34I always tell my students
32:36to follow these more credible
32:38people because they are
32:40the ones in practice.
32:42They are the ones who
32:44have studied it for years
32:46and they have the credibility
32:48to talk about these things.
32:49So they give a lot
32:51of time for lessons
32:53about credible sources
32:55and things like that.
32:57So I think,
32:59slowly but surely,
33:00everybody's trying to come
33:02together to get there.
33:04But Via,
33:05I know you've got
33:07quite a few more questions
33:09in your list.
33:10If we could give them
33:12to Ms. Karen.
33:14Since you mentioned
33:16self-diagnosis,
33:17do you think
33:18there's a stigma
33:20of cost and access
33:22so they don't seek
33:24professionals?
33:26Like for example,
33:28there's no money
33:30or no access to a place
33:32or other people
33:33might judge you?
33:34Definitely,
33:36there is this fear
33:38of being judged.
33:40Like,
33:42you're using mental health
33:44as an excuse
33:46to avoid responsibility.
33:47That's where the stigma
33:49is right now.
33:51And then in terms of access,
33:53really the access
33:55is very difficult,
33:57especially for those
33:59who are living
34:01in the rural areas
34:03because the practitioners
34:05here in the Philippines
34:07are mostly concentrated
34:08here in Metro Manila.
34:10So that's one of the problems.
34:12Another thing is that
34:14although we do have
34:15counseling
34:17via video calls
34:19and of course audio calls,
34:21the problem is
34:23the connection,
34:25the internet connection.
34:27So that's one of the things
34:29that I found frustrating
34:31during the pandemic
34:33because we didn't really have
34:35any other way to do practice
34:37but through online
34:39or through telepsychology.
34:41So yeah,
34:43that's why it's really
34:44a web of
34:46things.
34:48Yes, that's true.
34:50To improve mental health
34:52practice here in the Philippines,
34:54we really need to address
34:56other factors first
34:58because as I've said
35:00earlier, there are
35:02of course the cultural values
35:04that are imbued to us
35:06from generation to generation
35:08and then there are
35:10the access,
35:12the infrastructures
35:14that are hindering us
35:16from accessing mental health support
35:18and then of course
35:20politics,
35:22what are the regulations in place,
35:24how are these being implemented.
35:26So those are some
35:28really top
35:30of my mind
35:32that's hindering
35:34the full implementation
35:35of mental health support
35:37here in the country.
35:39So what role can families
35:41and communities play
35:42in improving mental health?
35:44Yes, that's also a good question.
35:46For families,
35:48it's really good
35:50that they start talking
35:52about things inside home
35:54because most of the time
35:56what we're seeing
35:58is those who are easily stressed
36:00or those who are prone
36:02to develop mental health condition,
36:04they don't really have
36:06a good communication
36:08or a good family support
36:10at home.
36:11They're more prone
36:13to this problem
36:15and then in terms
36:17of the community,
36:19the community has to
36:21give support
36:23in terms of the other needs
36:25of the person
36:27like for example
36:29having parks,
36:31having playgrounds
36:32for children to play
36:34because this is
36:36what we're lacking right now.
36:38One of the reasons
36:39and when you ask them
36:41is because there's
36:42no place to play.
36:44So there's no playground,
36:46there's no basketball area,
36:48so there's no place
36:50for them to play
36:52with their playmates,
36:54play tag,
36:55do these things
36:57that are crucial
36:59to the psychological
37:01development of a child.
37:03So these are some
37:05of the things
37:06that the community
37:07should address.
37:08Because as you said,
37:10there are a web
37:12of problems concerning
37:14access and people
37:16trying to be able
37:17to afford it
37:19or even in the beginning
37:21acknowledging that they
37:22have all these things
37:24but as long as it starts
37:25with the family,
37:26that's your message Ms. Karen.
37:27I know it really has
37:28to start with the family.
37:30If you have any last
37:31words to actually
37:33give some advice
37:35to give those
37:36watching us right now,
37:38what can they do
37:39apart from being open
37:41in their families,
37:43maybe take their cue
37:44from their children.
37:47Having good mental health
37:49is a collective effort.
37:51So it's not just coming
37:52from the person themselves,
37:54it's also coming from
37:55the support system
37:56of the person.
37:58So it's from the person
38:00internally,
38:01the person's family,
38:03and the person's community.
38:04So if everything
38:06will combine
38:08their efforts
38:10to build a good system
38:13for the person,
38:15then it's definitely
38:17going to lessen
38:19the mental health problems
38:20that we are encountering
38:21at present.
38:23Please continue the good
38:24work that you do
38:26and I'd like to thank
38:27of course RED and VIA
38:28for joining us today.
38:30We really did cover
38:31so much.
38:33I think
38:35our readers will have
38:36a lot of things
38:37to take away
38:38and probably think about
38:39whether they're
38:40running offices
38:41and basically
38:42within their families.
38:44So I hope you all
38:45enjoyed and learned
38:46from this episode
38:48of the Manila Times Newsroom.
38:50This is Tessa Mauricio-Ariola
38:51again, thank you very much.
38:53Ms. Karen Ibanez,
38:55good morning to you all.
39:02Thank you.