Case & Background Summary: Mental Health Support Gaps for Incest Survivors

In our casework, it's essential to recognize that clients dealing with incest trauma have legal options under Republic Act No. 11036 (The Philippine Mental Health Act of 2018). However, the support system is significantly underfunded (Lally, Samaniego, and Tully 2019). While the law requires integrated, community-based mental health services and basic rights for users, the execution at the local barangay level is often inconsistent (Alibudbud 2023). Local primary care facilities frequently lack trained counselors, psychiatric staff, and the necessary intake protocols to effectively address severe domestic trauma (Alibudbud 2023). Since qualified mental health professionals are mainly found in major urban centers like Metro Manila, survivors in rural areas encounter significant physical and financial barriers when trying to access care (Lally, Samaniego, and Tully 2019; Tuliao 2014). Additionally, with a national ratio of only 2 to 3 mental health workers per 100,000 individuals, obtaining psychological evaluations or expert witness testimony for court proceedings is often delayed (Lally, Samaniego, and Tully 2019). When interviewing clients and preparing legal affidavits, advocates must consider the intense cultural and familial pressures that hinder disclosure and help-seeking (Tuliao 2014). Due to the deep social stigma surrounding incest, family members often pressure survivors into silence to prevent public shame or financial instability (Tanaka et al. 2018). Culturally imposed expectations to show resilience or simply "move on" are frequently weaponized against survivors, trivializing serious post-traumatic stress or depression as personal failings (Tanaka et al. 2018). As a result, families often direct survivors to informal gatekeepers—like relatives, village elders, or spiritual leaders—before pursuing legal or psychological support, which exposes victims to secondary trauma, enforced silence, or risky in-house mediation attempts (Tuliao 2014). Actionable Paralegal Takeaway Documentation & Referrals: Avoid depending on local municipal centers for clinical assessments without pre-screening. Instead, connect clients directly with verified, trauma-informed psychiatric professionals or trusted NGO crisis units early in the case preparation process. Trauma-Informed Client Interviews: Be prepared for reluctance, emotional withdrawal, or delayed disclosure. Conduct intake interviews with a heightened awareness of the significant social stigma and familial pressure the client may be facing at home. Reference List (Chicago Manual of Style - Author-Date) Alibudbud, Rowalt. 2023. "Towards Transforming the Mental Health Services of the Philippines." The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific 39: 100935. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2023.100935. Lally, John, Richwald M. Samaniego, and John Tully. 2019. "Mental Health Legislation in the Philippines: Philippine Mental Health Act." BJPsych International 16 (3): 65–67. https://doi.org/10.1192/bji.2018.33. Philippines. 2018. Republic Act No. 11036: An Act Establishing a National Mental Health Policy for the Purpose of Enhancing the Delivery of Integrated Mental Health Services, Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Persons Utilizing Psychiatric, Neurologic and Psychosocial Health Services, Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes (Mental Health Act). Approved June 20, 2018. Official Gazette. Tanaka, Chiyo, Antover P. Tuliao, Etsuko Tanaka, Tohru Yamashita, and Hiroshi Matsuo. 2018. "A Qualitative Study on the Stigma Experienced by People with Mental Health Problems and Epilepsy in the Philippines." BMC Psychiatry 18 (1): 325. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-1902-9. Tuliao, Antover P. 2014. "Mental Health Help Seeking Among Filipinos: A Review of the Literature." Asia Pacific Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy 5 (2): 124–136. https://doi.org/10.1080/21507686.2014.913641.

Be The Change you want the world to

 Influence others to uplift their lives...share knowledge of the past to appreciate the future with a language they often hear but too shy to speak it

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Everyday is a day to be grateful

 I have to go to my father’s hometown and do self-imposed quarantine on my return. On self-reflection, I realized how each of us in the community have depended on each other. I left instructions what to do and to continue what we were doing. On that same self-imposed quarantine, I have read emails and not just browsing over them. Many have offered to help our community and the projects that I have been doing for years, but most of them have ulterior motives and I was late realizing some of them.

I am grateful for whatever is given to us. There are indeed genuine people who would help others because they see the good in what we have. Shout out to #BREADTOP BAKESHOP for our nourishing meal for today, my ever dearest dependable spiritual warrior, Anne Kahil and her dad for ensuring I will have gasoline allowance and food to share.

My other friends would pitch in as well. It is up to me to ensure that all the children under my care will be given equal share.

Having the luxury of cleaning after my digital clutter, I have now a renewed passion to push for sustainable projects and to be wary of “good people”.

That saying, I am grateful for the “real person” who have continued to see the best in us. Thank you and May you continue to support and empower us.

Religion is debatable Respect is not

 

I am not an atheist, agnostic, a zealot I am simply human. Contrary to all thought, mine is ruled with one belief. I believe everything exist because it was there in existence before I was even made a concept by the universe I recently reside with.

I do not need religion to teach me about existence because it is a fact that there are people and culture before I was even here. For me religion and faith are two different belief that is open for debate and investigation for which I do not want to partake in. Respect however is common sense.

Many organizations here in the country specially in the depressed areas whose doing humanitarian aid are funded by religious organization spreading whichever truth they want. And many organization, which sadly I was once a part of, pretended to be humanist and secular where eventually I learned they are actually a group of combatant and were actually after the student's under my care.

Respect for one's ideology but it does not mean I cannot influence others to be critically informed of what they were made to believe.

Philippines is a Religion Driven Country. There are a lot of Christian denomination and they are the most active. The Catholics are being driven out. Islam is taking the divisiveness route. The freedom to think beyond what religion gives the young mind the possibility of what they can become.

In my class, I do not care which religion they belong to, because in our room we can be who ever we want to be. You can be the fairest or the darkest, the tallest, or whoever you want to be.

They are allowed to challenge my thoughts, we can discuss all the bible verses without fear of being ostracized, they can be open of their gender preferences and each is accepted who they want to be.

We are rainbows as any rainbows as can be.

Education is for everyone

 

Education is a continuing process. The formal literacy program was launched 2017 with the help from my Senior High school Student as part of their completion project in my Disaster Risk Resilience Classes.

The community and I started our informal education project through arts, basic writing and conversational English classes. We have come a long way from 2008. Progress is slow but we do change for the best.

I chose to focus on areas where I know I could be of help the most. My approach to learning is inclusive as it is not just about letters or numbers but education as the whole person.

Inculcating DIGNITY together with basic lesson is a must in my class . There should be dignity in everything that we do. We imbibe dignity so others may learn from us. We should not assume that we are better than anyone simply because we have more than the others. We should recognize our own strength and weaknesses so that we can enable others to have a better life.