‘WAKE-UP CALL’: Mental health takes spotlight amid pandemic, distance learning

By Jennifer P. Rendon and Joseph B.A. Marzan

 

The Department of Health has established suicide prevention hotlines in the country. For those who need help, they could call 0917-899-8727 (USAP) and 0917-989-8727 (USAP). Other helplines include that of In Touch Philippines with call crisis lines +63 2 893 7603 (Landline); +63 917 800 1123 (Globe); and +63 922 893 8944 (Sun). The Philippine Red Cross’ 24/7 suicide prevention hotline, toll-free HOPELINE 2919 (for Globe & TM Subscribers) 0917 558 4673 or 8044673.

A Grade 10 student in San Joaquin, Iloilo committed suicide following alleged difficulties in the distance learning modality, among other possible reasons, according to his family.

The incident has prompted moves to examine the effects of distance learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of students and even teachers.

The body of 19-year old Nonoy (real name withheld) was found inside a nipa hut just 50 meters away from their home around 11:45 a.m. Wednesday.

Lieutenant Dionisio Estacio, San Joaquin police chief, said a younger sibling discovered the victim’s body.

Their mother summoned the sibling to look for the victim after he failed to eat breakfast.

Nonoy was last seen alive early evening of Oct 20.

The mother told Aksyon Radyo-Iloilo that the victim intimated to her and his godfather some rough patches that he was going through.

“He told his godfather that he has a lot of problems that was compounded by the modules. He said he cannot take it anymore and wants to commit suicide,” the mother said in Karay-a.

The mother also said that her three children who are in school share her cellphone for their online learning needs like researching.

The mother is the only one supporting their family as her husband died recently. In fact, the victim also helped her earn a living while studying.

The mother said she noticed a lot of changes in her son’s attitude since classes began. The victim opted for the modular mode of learning.

“I even heard him cursing and throwing away the module saying he cannot answer some of the tasks. He even asked his brother to do it for him,” said

The victim’s godfather, who is a barangay council member, said the victim told him that he was having a difficult time with his studies.

“He did tell me that he had a hard time with his studies. And he we would sometimes joke that it is better if he is gone,” the godfather said.

Meanwhile, Estacio said they found no suicide note in the scene of incident.

The victim’s mobile phone was also found in their house.

Initial investigation showed no sign of foul play at the crime scene.

Initially, the mother declined to have the victim’s body be autopsied. Because of the mother’s refusal, Estacio said they asked him to sign a waiver.

But when she went to the police station Thursday noon, she had a change of heart.

“Gusto na nyang ipa-autopsy. Sabi daw ng mga kapatid nya,” Estacio said.

A request for the conduct of an autopsy was already sent to the PNP Regional Crime Laboratory.

 

SUICIDE AND DISTANCING LEARNING

Earlier, the Department of Education asked the public to refrain from linking suicide cases to the distance learning system.

DepEd said that suicide cases were being linked to the new mode of learning to undermine their efforts to adapt to the “new normal in learning”.

These new modes were adopted by the DepEd in both public and private schools for School Year 2020-2021 due to the continuing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

The agency stressed that the link between the new learning modes and the challenges faced by learners and teachers in adjusting should be established first.

DepEd has warned the public against speculating about incidents relative to alleged suicide incidents of teachers and students.

“Suicide is a sensitive and complex issue. We would like to appeal to everyone to stop directly connecting such to modules or distance learning,” the agency said on Tuesday.

DepEd said they “received police blotters, incident reports, statements of families and initial investigation of the cases, and none of them referred to distance learning as the primary cause.”

DepEd Division of Iloilo’s spokesperson Leonil Salvilla told Daily Guardian that they had been informed of the incident through the initial reports by the school administrator.

He also said that they are still waiting for a more complete report from the school.

Salvilla said that the DepEd and school officials had already visited the family and extended their assistance.

“We respect the opinion of the mother because based on her observation, that must have been one of the reasons. Based on the reports we have from teachers and his friends, this was mainly due to the difficulties he had in life. Of course, foremost, for us, we respect the memory of the child. This is not the time to point fingers on who to blame,” Salvilla said.

He said that this recent suicide incident was a “wake-up call” to strengthen collaboration with all education stakeholders.

“This is a wake-up call, not only for DepEd, but for everybody, especially for families, to strengthen our collaboration. This cannot be done by one sector alone. These problems we face right now, especially with the rising cases of suicide here in the province of Iloilo would be addressed,” he added.

DepEd Iloilo’s data on suicide cases is still to be delivered by its Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) coordinator, but this would be the first reported suicide in the province since the opening of classes on October 5, according to Salvilla.

“We will give the official number by next week during the hearing with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. The DepEd will coordinate with local governments and agencies to address the rising cases of suicides in the province,” said Salvilla.

The department had already conducted mental health and wellness webinars during its preparation for the incoming school year.

It has also been extending psychological support and technical assistance to its school-based personnel and learners.

School nurses and school health and nutrition personnel are also going around schools to provide reports on the situation in the field.

“Because we are still not allowed big gatherings to provide programs, we are having online programs for mental health. Our schools also have initiatives to make sure that psychological support is provided during COVID-19,” Salvilla said.

One problem that the DepEd has identified according to Salvilla is that not all schools have Registered Guidance Counselors (RGC).

The division only has 16 RGCs, and those without RGCs are being deputized by GC designates, which are at 1150.

DepEd Iloilo also has 385 trained Psychological First Aid responders which also provide assistance to schools when needed.

 

INQUIRY

This recent suicide incident in San Joaquin will also be the subject of a joint committee hearing by the Sangguiang Panlalawigan of Iloilo on Oct. 27.

DepEd Iloilo, as well as the regional offices of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), have all been invited as resource persons in this said hearing.

The upcoming session will be spearheaded by the Committees on Education, Health and Sanitation, and Transportation, Communication and Public Utilities.

These committees are chaired by Vice-Governor Christine Garin, Board Member Nielito Tupas (5th district), and ex-officio Board Member Ramon Sullano (Philippine Councilors League).

Sullano delivered a privilege speech on Tuesday regarding the status of online classes in the province, calling for the hearing to look into its progress.

In the speech, he also mentioned the rising cases of suicide in the province.

 

“Iloilo [is bannered] as number one in suicide cases in Western Visayas, with 72 cases and still counting, suicides are more of a mental health issue brought about by physical distancing, self-isolation, working or studying from home and loss of social contacts during the community quarantine which lead to loneliness, anxiety and depression,” Sullano said in his speech.

 

He also called on the DOH and the DICT in the speech to look into related effects and issues.

 

“The [DOH] therefore, should look into the effect of online classes on the behavioral and mental health of the learners. Where connectivity in remote areas is a problem, the [DICT] plays an important role to address this concern. Either the internet is slow or unavailable, this needs immediate attention as well,” he said.

 

The ex-officio member told Daily Guardian that the DOH and the DICT were also invited because of his calls in his privilege speech.

The Sanggunian’s next actions regarding the matter will depend on the findings of the hearing, says Sullano.