PH Has Highest Number of Depressed People in Southeast Asia, Mental Health Law Pushed

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"Many Filipinos are suffering a crisis in the dark; the silent burden of impaired mental health."

This was the statement of Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros as she pushed for a measure to address the mental health needs of the Filipino people.

Together with former Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani, the Philippine Psychiatric Association (PPA), celebrity endorser Jerika Ejercito and other advocates, Hontiveros filed on Thursday Senate Bill No. 1190 otherwise known as the“Philippine Mental Health Act of 2016.”

Hontiveros, who is the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, said that the Philippines is one of the few countries in the world without a comprehensive mental health law.

1 in 5 Filipinos suffer from mental disorder

The senator, citing several studies and government statistics, said that the country has the highest number of depressed people in Southeast Asia with schizophrenia as the top mental health disorder among Filipinos.

"1 in 5 adult Filipinos suffer from mental or psychiatric disorder. This represents an average of 88 reported cases of mental illness per 100,000 Filipinos. Also, the number of suicide cases in the country has steadily risen over a period of 20 years from 1992 to 2012," Hontiveros explained.


Lack of psychiatrists

In the rural health centers, Hontiveros said that 50% of adults visiting rural health centers in remote barrios were diagnosed to have some form of psychological illness. The senator also underscored the lack of psychiatrists in the country. As of 2014, she said that there are only 490 psychiatrists currently licensed to practice in the Philippines.


Rights of persons with mental health needs

Hontiveros’ bill seeks to identify and solidify the rights of persons with mental health needs such as the right to receive mental health services at all levels of the health care system. The bill is also pushing for the establishment of psychiatric and neurologic service in regional, provincial, and all tertiary level hospitals, recognition of other forms of treatment/non-medical alternatives and integration of mental health in the education curriculum.

“For the longest time, many people with mental health needs are silently suffering in the dark due to the lack of a comprehensive mental health law. It's time we uphold the people's right to mental health and protect the rights of those who require mental health services," Hontiveros ended

Macgyver Debuts as Highest Rated Series Premiere on AXN Since 2012

Wazzup Pilipinas!
The premiere of MacGyver delivered the highest ratings for a drama series on AXN since 2012. The highly anticipated action series premiered on Thursday, September 29 at 9:45pm and emerged as the #1 show for English general entertainment channels in the Philippines.

Paying homage to the original series, MacGyver stars Lucas Till as a 20-something Angus “Mac” MacGyver who creates a clandestine organization within the U.S. government where he uses his extraordinary talent for unconventional problem solving and vast scientific knowledge to save lives.

“MacGyver is such a beloved franchise and we are not surprised at how well-received it is,” said Virginia Lim, Senior Vice President and Head of Content, Production and Marketing, Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia. “Our viewers have come to expect action, adventure and compelling stories from the AXN brand, and MacGyver delivers it all.”

During MacGyver’s premiere, AXN dominated at #1 amongst 22 English general entertainment channels with a 53% share. Apart from a strong drama series premiere, its evening primetime slot includes variety series Top 20 Funniest and reality series American Ninja Warrior. During the telecast of American Ninja Warrior, AXN is the top rated English general entertainment channel.

MacGyver also stars George Eads (CSI) and Sandrine Holt (House of Cards) and executive produced by Lee David Zlotoff (original series creator), Henry Winkler (original series executive producer), Peter Lenkov (Hawaii Five-0) and James Wan (Saw, The Conjuring).

MacGyver airs every Thursday at 9.45pm first and exclusive on AXN. Catch up on the first episode of MacGyver on http://www.axn-asia.com/programs/macgyver/videos/macgyver-episode-1.

Source: Kantar Media Philippines, Target: Pay TV2+

BFGoodrich Tires Announces Return to the Dakar Rally

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Michelin Philippines Chief Representative Michael Nunag relayed the announcement on October 4, 2016 from Greenville, South Carolina that BFGoodrich Tires is set to return to its rich history of winning at the 2017 Dakar Rally as the official tire supplier of the Dakar Rally.

When the Dakar Rally kicks off in Asunción, Paraguay in January, BFGoodrich Tires will be back on competitors’ vehicles on a large scale for the first time since 2012. In addition BFGoodrich will roll out the BFGoodrich Dakar Service Center, through which competitors will benefit from 24/7 technical expertise. The rugged terrain and unpredictable elements that racers face over two weeks and more than 5,000 miles of punishing competition across three countries is exactly the sort of proving ground that BFGoodrich seeks.

“BFGoodrich has a long-tenured racing heritage, and we’re excited to continue our global involvement in racing in the dirt with our official return to the Dakar Rally,” said Michelin and BFGoodrich Motorsport Director Pascal Couasnon. “Cross-country rally racing is a distinct challenge, and this race features some of the most complex terrains on the planet. As with other forms of racing where BFGoodrich competes, our commitment stays the same in this discipline. We continue to use all the technical information we learn in racing laboratories around the world to develop new technology and constantly improve our products while taking on the toughest conditions on Earth.”