Who will dispute that Christmas is synonymous to happiness? It's definitely a season to be jolly.
I, particularly, can’t get over the anticipation of happiness and staying positive at this time after the unfavorable imprints of the past three years of the Covid-19 contagion.
There were a series of dispirited vibration during what used to be the happiest time of the year for Filipinos, here or abroad, rich or poor. We all missed warm hugs, exchange gifts, noche buena, gatherings around the Belen and Christmas trees, Simbang Gabi, and other customs. Social media connection was the new normal as its platforms were our approximate link.
This year, it will be "back to normal". Filipino families at home and abroad look forward to celebrate Christmas together in one place, with no restrictions.
If for Americans and Canadians, Thanksgiving is the time for families to get together, Filipinos look forward to this seasonal tradition with such great enthusiasm.
No other holidays have greater cultural impact on homegrown Filipino families — and friends — than Christmas.
ooOoo
On the flipside is an alarming news: Mental Health issue in the Philippines is pervasive!
Recent study by the World Health Organization Special Initiative for Mental Health released last October reveals that in the Philippines, the prevalence of mental disorders "range(s) between 11.3 percent and 11.6 percent." And it doesn't stop there.
It was found that in the past years, official records show there was "an average annual increase of 2 percent, increasing from 7 to 12.5 million Filipinos diagnosed with mental disorder between 1990 and 2019."
Not only does being diagnosed with mental health issues become a stigma, it also encompasses government health agenda, budget and service support.
While WHO advocates a strategic approach to assist governments in prioritizing and funding, the world body also proffers the development of practicable, sustainable and transformative model of care for mental health patients.
With the enactment and augmentation of the country's Mental Health Act of 2018, advances and collaborations were promising, specifically in the allotment of budget. There was a marked increase in mental health financing from P57 million to P1 billion between 2022 and 2023.
One significant move is piloting a mental health package for outpatients. To effectively implement this, the government is keen on partnering with private sectors.
Mental health facilities in the country is "grossly overbooked". The National Center for Mental Health in Mandaluyong, for instance, has an authorized bed capacity of 4,200. Currently, NCMH services more than 56,000 outpatients annually.
During the pandemic, or as its resultant effect, the Department of Health estimated that at least 3.6 million Filipinos faced mental health issues. Primary cases are anxiety, depression, and alcohol- and substance-use disorders, among others.
Many have not recovered from the impairment wrought by the pandemic. And, also, a great number remains in denial or unaware that their mental stability has been compromised.
Already, general awareness that such is the prevailing case is the No. 1 step to support kababayans still reeling — physically and psychologically — from the impact.
ooOoo
"EL AGUINALDO" is actually a Latino term referring to Christmas bonus. In 1970, the Mexican government mandated employers to afford workers with bonuses in December. The federal law did not specify the amount of the bonus. In the Philippines, it is called 13th month pay equivalent to a month's wage or salary.
Locally, "aguinaldo" evolved signifying "holiday gifts" for children.
Another form of aguinaldo is as a surprise for certain disadvantaged individuals or groups.
One very meaningful aguinaldo Filipinos here and abroad could share is to bring cheers to the least fortunate homed in shelters — like the NCMH, prisons, hospitals, orphanages, and for the aged and unwed mothers.
The voluntary gesture will definitely account for their immense, though temporary, happiness this season.
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