Trigger warning: Mentions of suicide
MANILA, Philippines — There was a time when people did not want to talk about mental health. It was taboo, almost forbidden.
Even when brave young souls — who confessed to be suffering from it — started talking about their own mental health issues, majority of people still undermined the seriousness of the matter and refused to acknowledge it.
By continuing to do so today, they do not realize it but they are doing more harm to it by driving confused youth who are struggling with mental health problems to the brink of suicide. Some even succeed in taking their own lives without the slightest intervention at all.
Yet mental health problems are very real. And while some people easily dismiss them as something conjured up just to gain attention, they are in truth medical cases that sufferers have little if not no control of.
They are medical problems that need proper intervention to solve. Extreme cases lead to suicide if the sufferers do not lose their mind and end up in mental institutions.
This is why the Philippines marks Suicide Prevention Month every September and World Mental Health Month every October. to remind everyone of the country’s urgent mental health crisis,
The Philippine National Police has recorded more than 2,000 suicide cases in the first half of this year alone, a figure that underscores a growing tragedy that continues to impact families, schools, and communities nationwide.
Youth leader at the forefront
Ymari Kristia Pascua is one such person who admittedly struggled with mental health problems.
“Behind every statistic is a story, a family, and a dream. When we talk about suicide cases, we are not just talking about numbers. We are talking about lives and futures that matter,” Pascua emphasizes.
Pascua is the chief empowerment officer of Mental Health Youth Hub PH, a youth-serving advocacy organization that envisions resilient and empowered Filipino youth thriving in stigma-free communities that uphold mental health and well-being.
The organization builds safe and inclusive spaces where young people can openly talk about mental health without fear of judgment.
Her mission is clear: Bring conversations about mental health to every corner of the Philippines so no one feels they are fighting alone.
Pascua’s journey, once featured on “Maalaala Mo Kaya,” mirrors the struggles of countless Filipinos, “My own story has been filled with struggles, but also with resilience. I chose to turn my pain into purpose so that others do not feel they have to fight their battles alone.”
Rising from her personal battles, she became a youth mental health coach, speaker, and mentor. She now partners with local governments, schools, non-governmental organizations, and youth groups to create safe spaces, promote resilience, and champion suicide prevention, reaching audiences from major cities to remote towns.
Collaborations
This year, Pascua brought her mental health advocacy into worlds where young Filipinos naturally come together: music and fandom.
She recognized that these spaces are not only about entertainment but also about belonging, and she sought to transform them into safe havens for conversations on mental health.
“Music and fandoms are where young people gather, and these communities can be lifelines,” she explains.
Last September Pascua teamed up with Mikha Lim of the Nation’s Girl Group BINI for a mental health seminar that reminded fans that fandom is more than cheering for an idol. It can also be a community of friendship, care, and mutual support.
The initiative showed that the same energy fueling fan devotion can also be harnessed to spark understanding and compassion.
Pascua also collaborated with Ben&Ben and their Liwanag community, weaving stories of hope and resilience into the band’s deeply emotional anthems, such as “Leaves,” “Courage,” and “Di Ka Sayang.”
“When we collaborated with BINI Mikha and Ben&Ben, it showed that the art we love can also help us heal,” Pascua reflects.
These sessions highlighted how music, with its power to connect and heal, can serve as a lifeline for struggling youth, helping them feel seen, understood, and less isolated.
Through these collaborations, Pascua demonstrated that music and advocacy could be mutually beneficial. She turned concerts and fan spaces into platforms for healing and dialogue, proving that the art young people love can also guide them through life’s darkest moments.
Beyond Awareness Months
Pacua carries with her a powerful reminder, not just for the young people in this country but for everyone, “Wherever I go, from cities to the smallest towns, I see the same truth: mental health is everyone’s concern.”
For her, mental health is not an abstract issue that is meant to be spoken of only in reports or commemorated once a year. It is a daily reality that shapes the way people live, learn, work, and connect with one another.
From city halls to rural schools, Pascua continues to travel across the Philippines to create safe spaces for open dialogues. In every community she visits, she emphasizes that mental health is not just the concern of those directly affected by it but of society as a whole.
She encourages leaders, educators, families, and young people to see compassion as a practice that can save lives.
“Let us not limit mental health awareness to September or October,” Pascua urges. “Caring for our mental well-being should be part of our everyday lives, in every home and every community.”
By making mental health a shared responsibility and a daily commitment, she believes that communities can break stigma, spark hope, and ensure that no one has to struggle in silence.
Pascua, who also serves as a senior volunteer of I am MAD (Making A Difference) Volunteers, Inc., where she leads its partnerships and mental health initiatives, reminds Filipinos that no one should face their struggles alone. Help is always within reach, and reaching out is a sign of courage, not weakness.
The National Center for Mental Health Crisis Hotline can be reached at 1553 (toll-free via landline). For mobile users, Globe and TM subscribers may call 0966-351-4518 or 0917-899-8727; while Smart, Sun, and TNT subscribers may dial 0908-639-2672. Hopeline PH is also available at (02) 8804-4673.
