Author: Manolito Octaviano Jr. (National University)

According to WHO, there are estimated 154 million Filipinos suffer from depression, 24 million from Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, and 15.3 million persons with drug use disorders. Despite this, public sectors and government in the Philippines give little attention to the mental health of Filipinos, with only around 3–5% of the total health expenditures being allotted. The poor resource allocation is alarming and cannot aid many people suffering from mental disorders.

Given the identified problems in the Philippines, there is a pressing need to convince the public sector and the Philippine government to take immediate action. A way to highlight these issues to local officials is to take advantage of the existing mental health data from DOH. Then, computational approaches can be applied to gain valuable information and a comprehensive structured analysis presentation. These insights can aid policymakers in reshaping communities to support mental and social wellness.

This article is the author’s reflection on the insight gained from the recently concluded OCDex 2022 Public Data Analytics Fellowship Trainings.

For more information about the article, please reach out to the author: mvoctavianojr@national-u.edu.ph or Layertech labs support at learning@layertechlab.com