By Chryseis Mactal

Human rights defenders and activists need all the mental help they can get.

This is the reason why health advocates and supporters have launched a learning package to strengthen the psychological well-being of human rights defenders and activists.  

Named Mental Health Orientation and Psychosocial Support Module, the program was launched by the Health Action for Human Rights (HAHR) and Council for People’s Development and Governance (CPDG) on August 13. 

“Many people, from the youth to the elderly, have their mental health affected based on what is happening in our society, such as corruption, human rights violations, and everything else,” Dr. Reginaldo Pamugas, HAHR president, said in Filipino during the launch.

In the module, HAHR and CPDG aim to emphasize psychoeducation awareness to understand oneself in terms of “cognition, emotion, behavior, and current state.”

It contains practical guidance and tools for the protection of the mental health of individuals, families, and communities affected by human rights abuses. It is designed to help the healing and recovery process who often experience lasting effects of emotional and psychological damage such as “trauma, anxiety, depression, fear, and emotional distress.”

Mental Health in PH

“It is important for a person to understand what is happening to them, to say, ‘it is just normal that you cannot sleep.’ Because who would not find it hard when they remember what happened at night? So that is kind of like psychoeducation,” Dr. Pamugas said.

The current situation of mental health in the Philippines was discussed in the launching of the module, including the limited available resources and services. 

Aside from the stigma that society has toward mental health, there remains a lack of government support in mental health services, resulting in insufficient insurance coverage, inaccessibility of facilities, and an inadequate workforce, said Dr. Michael Sionzon, psychiatrist training officer.

Mental Health Orientation and Psychosocial Support Module seeks to address the scarcity of mental health professionals as well as the “urgency and the gravity of its need,” added Estrella Flores-Catarata, licensed social worker and registered psychologist.

Attacks vs development workers 

The Mental Health Orientation and Psychosocial Support Module was originally initiated due to the worsening attacks made against development workers in the previous years, because of “the work that they do and services they deliver.” 

These attacks may include harassment, red-tagging, heightened surveillance, criminal complaints, and even arrests. 

Nancy Estolloso, Community Empowerment Resource Network (CERNET) vice chairperson and Tuburan for Rural Women Empowerment and Development Inc. executive director, was among the human rights advocates who shared testimonials at the launch. 

She was one of the 27 respondents from CERNET who were charged in a terrorism financing case based on what she described as “falsified evidence.”

“In my case, someone is openly doing surveillance right in front of my house. They go to the area carrying a picture of me, asking, ‘do you know this person?’ As if you are a wanted criminal. So, I am no longer included in the meetings, and since when I go to the office, someone would take pictures of me,” she added. 

“Some of us really experience not being able to sleep… not just for one night, but for 1 to 2 years of sleeplessness. The judge [one of the respondents] lost a lot of pounds. Others had heightened vigilance, anxiety, and depression. But we didn’t think it that way, [we think] it was just nothing, just part of the job.” Estolloso further said. 

CERNET is a non-governmental organization (NGO) serving marginalized communities in Cebu. 

In May 2026, a regional court in Cebu City dismissed the Anti-Terrorrism Financing case against CERNET due to the illegality of the case.

Fighting on

For Estolloso, the Mental Health Orientation and Psychosocial Support Module is a good start to recognize that mental health is also a crucial part of one’s “struggle for justice and freedom.” 

As of this writing, HAHR and CPDG were still working on digitizing the Mental Health Orientation and Psychosocial Support Module to make it accessible online. 

“But now since it is printed, those who want a copy can visit the office of HAHR in Quezon City,” Dr. Pamugas said.

“We hope that this module helps ourselves, our organization, or our community, to help our mental health. So that while we perform our duties as human rights defenders or activists, it will help us in our tasks in the continuous fight for justice,” Dr. Pamugas ended.#