Mental health

Dr. Rolando Cortez, chief of the National Center for Mental Health, told senators during Thursday’s virtual public hearing on May 28, 2020, that there was a significant increase in mental health ailments among Filipinos since the lockdown declaration in Luzon and other areas last March. “Before Covid-19, we get around 60 to 80 calls in our hotline. Now, we receive almost 300 to 400 calls per month. There are a lot of people who want to communicate during a crisis. Most suffer from anxiety and depression because of the lockdown,” Cortez said. Senate Photo