Greater strides in the war unseen: a case study on mental health legislation in the Philippines.

Abstract

Entitled "Greater Strides in the War Unseen", the case study adopts Kingdon's policy window theory of change in exploring mental health legislation in the Philippines. Legal instruments e.g. laws are important in affecting health outcomes. However, despite the country's burden in mental health, there is still no law enacted addressing the said matter. Not much has been done in the field of mental health in the past. In fact, the issue of mental health has not been considered a priority of the government. The need for a mental health law is important to develop a structured mental health program in the Philippines. Given that the enactment of a mental health law is a product of successful legislation, understanding the political dimension of mental health is necessary in order to give Filipinos a fighting change in the “invisible war” in mental health. Data drawn from various sources reveal that, out of the many bills filed in Congress, Senate Bill No. 1354, otherwise known as the Mental Health Act of 2017 is the most successful bill to date. Two factors account for the mobility of the present bill: greater prioritization of the issue and political initiative. The former is a positive departure from what literature dictates while the latter provides significant insights in filling the gaps in advancing mental health legislation. The findings impart valuable knowledge that may be useful in guiding future researches on the subject and in advancing mental health legislation in country, all for the cause of promoting mental health in the country.