Iloilo’s new mental health hotline is here for you

By Mariela Angella Oladive

The Iloilo provincial government has intensified its mental health campaign with the launch of a 24/7 crisis hotline aimed at providing immediate psychosocial support, as data show young adults remain the most affected by mental health conditions in the province.

Called the PRIME Helpline, the service offers round-the-clock assistance for Ilonggos experiencing emotional distress, mental health challenges, or crises requiring urgent intervention.

Residents may contact the PRIME Helpline through 0968-855-0997 (Smart) and 0966-241-8133 (Globe), via email at prime.iloilo1@gmail.com, or through its Facebook page, PRIME Helpline.

The hotline is staffed by trained social workers and psychometricians who provide counseling, psychological first aid, and referral services.

In his message, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said the initiative seeks to directly address the growing mental health burden, including suicide cases, particularly among the youth.

“We are attending to a very serious problem. And this is even more serious than the oil price hike and other crises,” he said.

Don F. Sasu, Project Development Officer IV and PRIME focal person, said in a separate interview that the helpline was created in response to the reality that many people silently struggle with their mental health and often pretend they are fine even when they are not.

He said the service aims to give individuals someone to reach out to and guide them toward coping and recovery.

Data from the Provincial Health Office showed there are 4,875 registered service users in Iloilo, referring to individuals living with mental health conditions under the Department of Health monitoring system.

Of the total, 2,495 or 51.2 percent are male, while 2,349 or 48.2 percent are female.

Residents aged 17–30 comprise the most affected demographic, based on the same data.

Among the five most common mental health and neurologic conditions recorded are psychosis, epilepsy, generalized anxiety disorder, depression and bipolar disorder.

The province recorded a decline in suicide cases, from 76 in 2024 to 63 in 2025, reflecting ongoing intervention efforts.

Defensor said the provincial government is studying measures to regulate teenagers’ exposure to mobile phones and social media, which he described as contributing factors to mental distress.

The PRIME Helpline was formally launched at Casa Real de Iloilo on Thursday, April 23, attended by Vice Gov. Lee Ann Debuque, Provincial Administrator Raul Banias, National Commission of Senior Citizens-6 Director Ann Rapunzel Ganzon and other stakeholders.

The helpline forms part of PRIME, or Program for Resilience of Iloilo in Mind and Emotion, a psychosocial welfare initiative led by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office in partnership with the Provincial Health Office and Provincial Population Office.

The initiative aligns with the government’s broader push to strengthen community-based mental health services under the Philippine Mental Health Act, which promotes accessible and inclusive care nationwide.

With this initiative, the provincial government aims to make mental health support more accessible while strengthening prevention, intervention, and recovery services across communities.