TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
HOUSE BILL No. ________ 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE CLAUDINE DIANA D. BAUTISTA-LIM 
AN ACT 
PROTECTING THE MENTAL WELL-BEING OF THE YOUTH BY PROVIDING 
POLICIES FOR EARLY INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION OF SUICIDE 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In its 2023 report, the World Health Organization disclosed that every year, 
703,000 people take their own life and there are many more people who attempt 
suicide.  Suicide occurs throughout a person’s lifespan and was, in fact, the fourth 
leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds globally in 2019.1 
In the country, almost one in five Filipino youth aged 15-24 have ever 
considered ending their life.  It was found out that in 2013, more than 574,000 or 3% 
of Filipino youth attempted ending their life.  In 2021, the percentage increased to 7.5% 
which is equivalent to almost 1.5 million youth who had suicidal thoughts.2   
Regretfully, 6 out of 10 people who had considered suicide never talked to 
someone about it. Of the few who did, the majority (25% of suicidal ideators) sought 
assistance from close friends or peers, then parents/guardians (7%) and other 
relatives (5%). Getting professional help was quite unpopular, even among those who 
took action on their suicide thoughts (4%). Just one out of every ten young adults is 
aware of any suicide prevention services or programs.3 
These distressing findings show that Filipino youth have worse mental health 
than they did a few decades ago.  This may be due to a number of reasons confronting 
the mental healthcare of the country including severe understaffing, high expense of 
consultation and treatment, and the stigma associated with mental health issues.4  
1 Suicide. (2023, August 28). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide 
2 Pinoy youth in worse mental shape today, nationwide survey indicates. (2022, October 10). UP Population 
Institute. https://www.uppi.upd.edu.ph/news/2022/pinoy-youth-in-worse-mental-health-shape-today 
3 Ibid 
4 Ibid  
August 13, 2025
6:21 pm
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It is imperative for the government to scale up its efforts in suicide prevention 
among the youth.  There is a need for the government to adopt comprehensive suicide 
prevention strategies that involve a multisectoral public health approach.   
This measure aims to strengthen the collaboration between the Department of 
Health (DOH) and the Department of Education (DepEd) in preventing suicide among 
our youth by involving the DOH in developing the Life Planning Education for the 
elementary and secondary education curriculum.  The inclusion of Life Planning 
Education intends to facilitate open discussions on self and identity, family, community 
values, communication and interrelationship with others, sexuality and gender roles, 
community participation, health, psychological thinking and employment, among 
others.   
This measure further seeks to implement peer counselling group program in 
every school, promote public education campaign by tapping health specialists and 
employ psychologists for monthly school counselling alignment sessions.  
Every suicide is a tragedy that has a lasting impact on the people left behind 
and ripples across communities, families, and sometimes entire nations. Suicide is a 
serious public health concern but it is also preventable with timely, evidenced-based 
and often low-cost interventions.5 
 Immediate approval of this measure is earnestly sought. 
REP. CLAUDINE DIANA D. BAUTISTA-LIM 
   DUMPER PTDA Partylist 
5 Suicide. (2023, August 28). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide 


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
HOUSE BILL No. ________ 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE CLAUDINE DIANA D. BAUTISTA-LIM 
AN ACT 
PROTECTING THE MENTAL WELL-BEING OF THE YOUTH BY PROVIDING 
POLICIES FOR EARLY INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION OF SUICIDE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
Section 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Youth Suicide 
Prevention and Resilience Act”.  
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. – Under Section 13, Article II of the 1987 
Constitution, the State shall promote and protect the physical, moral, spiritual, 
intellectual and social well-being of the youth.  In view of this policy, the State shall 
promote youth programs that will shape their values and inculcate in them positive 
self-image, self-respect, critical thinking and moral responsibility to enable them to 
become principle-centered and values-driven individuals. 
It is recognized by the State that youth suicide is a public health tragedy linked 
to underlying mental health problems and that youth suicide early intervention and 
prevention activities are national priorities.  
Sec. 3. Formulation of Life Planning Education. – The Department of Education 
(DepEd), in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH), is mandated to 
formulate and include in the elementary and secondary education curriculum a course 
of Life Planning.  Life Planning Education (LPE) shall require lectures and discussions 
on self and identity, family, community values, communication and interrelationship 
with others, sexuality and gender roles, community participation, health, psychological 
thinking and employment, among others.  The DepEd is mandated to ensure that Life 
Planning Education is integrated in all schools.  Training shall be provided to school 
administrators, teachers, guidance counselors, and other school personnel 
responsible for delivering LPE.  
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The DepEd is likewise mandated to formulate a mechanism for sustaining peer 
counselling and peer education programs.  
 
Sec. 4. Implementation of Public Education Campaign. – The DOH, in 
consultation with the DepEd, is mandated to tap doctors, health specialists, medical 
experts, hospitals and other medical institutions to conduct a nationwide education 
campaign to help the youth, parents of youth, teachers, school personnel and the 
general public to:  
 
a. Become aware of the increasing problem of youth suicide and suicidal 
behaviors;  
b. Recognize common warning signs of suicidal thoughts and intent;  
c. Learn how to respond to youth who exhibit such signs; and 
d. Know when and where to go for accurate assessments and professional 
help.  
 
The DOH shall also develop and implement nationwide youth suicide early 
intervention and prevention strategies and education campaigns in schools, 
educational institutions, juvenile justice systems, substance abuse programs, mental 
health programs, foster care systems, and other child and youth support 
organizations.  
 
Sec. 5. Implementation of a Peer Counselling Group Program in Every School. 
– The DepEd is mandated to require all schools to implement a Peer Counselling 
Program that will be conducted by the school psychologist or guidance counselor and 
shall involve lessons on basic counselling skills and analyses for students.  The school 
may also tap the help of health specialists through the abovementioned Public 
Education Campaign.  
 
Sec. 6. Provision of Technical Assistance and Data Management. – The DOH 
is mandated to assist the DepEd in:  
a. Identifying and promoting strategies to prevent suicide among the youth;  
b. Ensuring the quality of screening and crisis intervention strategies and 
procedures; and  
c. Studying the effectiveness of practices relating to the identification and 
treatment of youth who are at risk for committing suicide on the overall 
wellness and health promotion strategies related to suicide attempts;  
 
The DOH shall conduct research and development programs on the 
effectiveness of new and existing youth suicide prevention strategies, techniques, 
technology, including clinical studies and evaluations of such strategies and related 
research aimed at reducing youth suicide and providing support for emotional and 
behavioral disorders which may lead to suicide attempts.  
 


 
The DOH is likewise mandated to develop a suicide data collection system to 
provide reliable data about attempted suicides in the country.  In developing the 
system, the DOH shall:  
a. Include information on the incidence of suicide attempts;  
b. Include demographic information on the persons who attempt suicide; and  
c. Explore prevention strategies to reduce the number of attempted suicides 
and suicides.  
 
Sec. 7. Establishment of Youth Health Centers. – The DOH may establish 
linkages with national government agencies, local government units (LGUs), and non-
governmental institutions to establish a network of health facilities and teen centers 
catering especially to young people in order to address their identified youth issues.   
 
These health facilities and teen centers shall provide family services, peer 
counselling and other related services and may collaborate with parents, schools, 
religious groups, and youth-serving organizations to successfully implement youth 
suicide prevention strategies.  
 
Sec. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). – The DepEd and DOH, in 
consultation with the National Center for Mental Health, National Youth Commission, 
local and national organizations that serve youth, shall issue the IRR within ninety (90) 
days from the effectivity of this Act.  
 
Sec. 10. Appropriations. – The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of 
this Act shall be included in the respective budgets of DepEd and DOH in the General 
Appropriations Act.   
 
Sec. 11. Separability Clause. – If, for any reason, any section or provision of 
this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are not 
affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.  
 
Sec. 12. Repealing Clause. – All other laws, rules and regulations, orders, 
circulars, and other issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.  
 
Sec. 13. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation in the Philippines.  
 
Approved,