Ever heard of the mental health legislation in the country? The Philippine Mental Health Act and DOLE 208-20 not only for citizens residing in the Philippines but also for the Overseas Filipino Workers or OFWs. The benefits of the said act will reach Filipinos who are working tirelessly abroad. As an OFW, being informed of the said act which is also known as (Republic Act No. 11036), will allow them to access mental health even if they are abroad. If you haven’t checked it out, our blog about OFW Mental Health is now up and running.

Overseas Filipino Workers help their family and significant ones to live better lives. The opportunities they have abroad is the icing on the cake. In other words, it has sweet offers and superb benefits or compensation. However, like all other overseas workers, they tend to suffer from burn-out, depression, anxiety, and homesickness. It’s good that the Philippine Mental Health Act is available for OFWs to assert their mental health rights. In this blog, we will be talking about the mental health legislation for OFWs and how they can use it for their own benefit.

OFWs Accessing Mental Health Care

Yes, as per the Philippine Mental Health Act or Republic Act No. 11036, Overseas Filipino Workers have the privilege to access mental health care. Section 2 of the said Act, is stated on the Declaration of Policy that: Declaration of Policy. – The state affirms the basic right of all Filipinos to mental health as well as the fundamental rights of people who require mental health services. OFWs though they are not working locally still pay taxes and is not exempted from receiving the full Filipino rights. This includes access to mental health care.

In fact, the DOLE 208-20 guidelines encourage agencies that deploy Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to have mental health programs and give them access to quality mental health care. One of these agencies is the government agency of OWWA or Overseas Worker Welfare Administration-Agency. The Philippines Overseas Employment Administration or POEA is also an agency where OFWs should get mental health programs. 

Under these government agencies are overseas recruitment agencies. These agencies will help guide OFWs to launch their career abroad. Furthermore, they make OFWs land in good clients so that they will be well-taken care of. However, it is unclear whether these agencies actually construct mental health programs for their deployed OFWs. It is also unclear if they get in touch with most of their deployed OFWs for assistance and support. There should be an effective implementation of mental health programs for OFWs or provide mental health vouchers for OFWs.

The mental health legislation of the country (Philippine Mental Health Act and DOLE 208-20) are beneficial for every Filipino worker locally and internationally. These laws or mandates work hand in hand to secure the mental health and well-being of Filipino employees. However, only a few know about these rights. That’s why the information should be available to every working body.

For OFWs: All About Mental Health Legislation

Both of the mental health legislation of the country (Philippine Mental Health Act and DOLE 208-20) has their own perks, even for OFWs. Check them out below:

1. Making Mental Health Talks Normal

If employees in the workplace have job-related huddles and other trendy things, they should also have mental health huddles at least once a week, too. In Philippine society, mental health is not always talked about. Some regions make it taboo. When businesses have mental health talks with qualified professionals teaching employees on stress management, etc and adds it to the workplace huddles, it becomes a culture and a habit to ask how is one another and how can we help. You’ll be surprised the stories that employees will tell and give people the chance to encourage one another.  Mental health talks will be opened up more than ever before. 

2. Maximizing Employee Potential 

Employee potential has been minimized due to numerous work stressors. But the mental health act would revolutionalize how the workplace functions; from policies, events, and employee management. With the law mandated, employers or the  HR department are given the budget for mental health training and seminars in the workplace. If the budget is bigger, they can hire an in-house or outsourced psychologist to cater to mental health concerns at work.

3. Employee Mental Health-Related Vacation Benefit

When employees work, the business thrives. However, when a business overworks an employee, the employee tends to get burned-out. This law would protect the rights of the employee to work not more than 48 hours a week (including overtime). It would also allow the employee to take a leave for mental health reasons. Concerns in the workplace that involves mental health can be escalated to HR or mental health professional.

The DOLE 208-20 can be shortened to:

• Aiming to advocate and inform workers – this is to make them aware of what is mental health, the importance thereof, their mental health rights, stress management, mental health concerns, and their benefits in workplace mental health. These are the basics when it comes to sharing information with workers. 
• Enhancing Worker’s Wellbeing – mental health policies and programs should be inclined to promote mental health self-awareness, stress management, and identification of common mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
• Adhering to ethical standards – when it comes to mental health policy and programs, there is a need to have informed consent, confidentiality measures, non-discriminatory policies and practices, disclosure, and other relevant information.
• Referral system for treatment and rehabilitation – workplaces should invest in self-report assessment tools to determine mental health or hire an in-house or outsourced psychologist for formal assessment and diagnosis of mental health disorders.
• Comply with Benefits and Compensation – workers who have a mental health diagnosis shall receive benefits and compensation from their insurance and government agencies such as Philhealth, SSS, etc
• Support Program – when conducting mental health training as part of the mental health program, there should be an aftercare or support program to cater for the needs of the workers.

Get Onboard with MPsych Services: Your Mental Health Partner

As an OFW, you can start investing in your wellness to make yourself more productive and progressive. Check out our services here.