“I AM LOVED” CAMPAIGN STRENGTHENS COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH PARTNERSHIP IN CALAMBA"
CALAMBA CITY, LAGUNA — A new community-based initiative aimed at bringing mental health support closer to young people, families and vulnerable members of the community was launched in Calamba City through the “I AM LOVED” Campaign, highlighted by the signing of a partnership for a community-based mental health program.
The partnership brings together the Office of Congresswoman Cha Hernandez, Representative of the Lone District of Calamba; the Philippine Mental Health Association (PMHA), led by its President, Architect Mariano Arce Jr.; Dr. Carolina Uno Rayco, RGC, RPSY, PMHA National Executive Director; and Ms. Bella Carina Alexandra Mercado of the Peace SIS Initiative.
The initiative seeks to strengthen mental health promotion, early intervention, community support and referral mechanisms by building the capacity of frontline workers and community partners.
In her message, Congresswoman Cha Hernandez emphasized that one of the biggest challenges facing individuals experiencing emotional and mental health difficulties is the inability or reluctance to ask for help.
“You can ask for help. There is someone you can turn to. There is someone who will listen. There is someone who will help you,” Hernandez said.
She called on young people, parents, teachers, community leaders and other Calambeños to help create a community where people feel safe seeking assistance without fear of judgment.
Hernandez also shared a personal experience from her teenage years, recalling a period when she struggled to understand and express her emotions. She said her parents noticed what she was going through and chose to listen and embrace her rather than judge her.
The experience, she said, reinforced the importance of family support and compassion.
Addressing the youth of Calamba, Hernandez delivered the central message of the campaign:
“You are loved. You are not alone. You can ask for help. There is someone who will listen to you.”
She also urged members of the community to take warning signs seriously, particularly when someone expresses hopelessness or says that they can no longer cope.
Instead of dismissing such expressions as merely “drama,” she encouraged people to ask simple but important questions such as, “Why?”, “What happened?” and “How are you?”
According to Hernandez, people do not have to be mental health experts to offer initial support. Listening, staying with someone who is struggling and helping connect that person with a parent, teacher, guidance counselor or mental health professional can already be an important step.
She likewise emphasized the need for responsible social media use and stronger guidance for young people amid the constant flow of information and content online.
“One life in Calamba matters. Every life matters. Every young person matters. Every family matters,” Hernandez said.
COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACH
Dr. Carolina Uno Rayco, RGC, RPSY, PMHA National Executive Director, stressed that statistics concerning the mental health of young Filipinos represent real people—not merely numbers.
She noted the continuing concerns involving emotional distress, depression, loneliness and suicidal thoughts among young people, while emphasizing the importance of strengthening support systems at the community level.
Rayco also pointed to the limited number of mental health professionals available to serve the needs of communities, making community-based approaches an important component of mental health promotion and early intervention.
“Not everyone experiencing emotional or mental health difficulties immediately needs a psychiatrist or psychologist,” Rayco explained. “But they need someone who will listen, understand, recognize warning signs and guide them toward the appropriate help.”
She identified barangay health workers, barangay nutrition scholars, teachers, school personnel, community volunteers, parents and peers as important partners in identifying concerns early and connecting individuals with appropriate services.
Rayco clarified that community-based mental health programs are not intended to replace psychologists, psychiatrists or other mental health professionals.
Instead, the approach is designed to bring support closer to communities, strengthen early intervention and establish effective referral systems for people who require specialized care.
PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
Through the partnership, the participating organizations seek to develop and strengthen community-based mental health services responsive to the needs of young people and families.
Among the objectives are the integration of mental health promotion and early intervention into local health, education and social welfare systems; capacity-building for community health workers, teachers and volunteers; coordinated referral and support mechanisms; and continuous monitoring and improvement of programs based on community needs and evidence.
Rayco described the signing as more than a ceremonial activity, saying it represents a public commitment to making mental health a continuing priority.
She emphasized that mental health requires collective action involving government, schools, families, community leaders, civil society organizations, professionals and young people themselves.
“YOU ARE LOVED”
The “I AM LOVED” Campaign seeks to create a more supportive environment where young people, women, families and other vulnerable individuals can reach out for help without fear of stigma or judgment.
The campaign carries a simple but powerful message:
“I AM LOVED — You are heard. You are valued. You are not alone.”
The partnership among the Office of Congresswoman Cha Hernandez, PMHA President Architect Mariano Arce Jr., PMHA National Executive Director Dr. Carolina Uno Rayco, RGC, RPSY, and Ms. Bella Carina Alexandra Mercado of the Peace SIS Initiative underscores a shared commitment to bringing mental health awareness, early intervention and support closer to the people of Calamba.
For Hernandez, the goal is to help build a Calamba where no person—especially no young person—feels that they have nowhere to turn.
“Let us spread the love. Let us be more watchful, more sensitive and more compassionate, especially toward those who are vulnerable.”
The campaign ultimately calls on the entire community to listen, care and act—so that anyone facing a difficult moment will know that reaching out for help is possible and that they do not have to face their struggles alone.
By Roy Tomandao
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