Dagupan: The city government here launched its extensive mental health education campaign involving communities and families through a fun run on Saturday.

According to Philippines News Agency, the fun run, with distances of 3, 5, and 10 kilometers, is one of the activities under the Secure and Abuse-Free Environment network (SAFEnet), which primarily aims to address suicidal tendencies among the youth.

"We will not end here. This (fun run) is the starting point. Even if we were able to reach almost 20,000 people, we want to reach more because we believe that if every person has a concern for their family members, their friends, in their class, in everything, our problem on mental health will be solved," Mayor Belen Fernandez said in an interview. She emphasized the prevalence of issues such as bullying, harassment, and abuse, even within families.

SAFEnet was jointly conceptualized by the church, Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education, and other national government agencies and sectors, including the youth and their parents. The city government started conducting meetings, orientations, and training in February and has so far reached 20 percent of the youth and adult population.

"The local government is here to help regarding mental health. We have four psychometricians working 24 hours a day on different shifts. We have our city health office that also has a team that handles mental health," Fernandez added, noting that consultations in the city's mental health facility are free of charge.

DOH Ilocos Region Director Dr. Paula Paz Sydiongco stated that they provide training to healthcare professionals, the youth, and school teachers to improve their knowledge on mental health. She highlighted the importance of peer-to-peer support, good nutrition, exercise, and adequate sleep for better mental health.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, principal author and sponsor of the Philippine Mental Health Law (Republic Act 11036), attended the fun run and commended SAFEnet. She emphasized the crucial role of local government units in supporting individuals with mental health concerns, noting that many victim-survivors initially seek support from their community, barangay, or local government units rather than health facilities.

Hontiveros also mentioned that the Universal Health Care Law empowers mental health care with provisions for consultations and medicines through the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.