JV Ejercito sounds alarm on rising youth mental health cases, HIV among minors, presses DOH on information campaign
September 21, 2026
Senate Finance Committee Chairperson Senator JV Ejercito warned of the increasing mental health cases and HIV infections among young Filipinos, urging the Department of Health (DOH) to aggressively step up its information campaigns and expand access to existing government services.
Speaking at a recent Senate budget hearing, Ejercito emphasized the urgent need to address these interconnected youth crises through early detection, better information dissemination, and expanded healthcare packages.
“With regard to mental health, we have repeatedly raised alarm over an increasing number of suicide and mental health cases among Filipino youth, particularly students. We need sufficient funding, not only for treatment, but also for early detection, counseling, and prevention,” Ejercito stressed.
Unused mental health services, expensive meds
Ejercito said while the DOH provides free mental health maintenance medicines and PhilHealth offers specific care packages, majority of the target beneficiaries remain unaware of these benefits.
The lawmaker from San Juan added that the national government must double their efforts in reaching the public as he believes mental health issues a "clear and present danger."
“We are providing 'yung mga maintenance medicines, which are very expensive, for mental health maintenance meds. Kaya lang ang problema, people are not aware of this. People just do not know. Sayang naman, DOH is offering mental health programs that are not being availed of.”
PhilHealth Acting President and CEO Dr. Beverly Ho revealed that claims for PhilHealth's General Mental Health Service and Specialty Mental Health Package remain low, recording around 7,500 claims in 2025 and only 651 claims in 2026. Part of the challenge, DOH noted, is expanding the number of accredited, trained mental health service providers nationwide.
To address the youth mental health crisis, DOH Acting Sec. Dr. Edwin Mercado outlined plans to focus on schools, peer-to-peer support training, and community-based programs through PhilHealth's Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) packages.
Highest adolescent HIV rates in ASEAN
During the same hearing, Ejercito also raised alarming data from civil society organizations (CSOs) showing that the country currently holds the highest adolescent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) incidence in the ASEAN, with minors and young people accounting for up to 30% of new infections.
”Hindi natin pwedeng ipagsawalang-kibo na tayo ang may pinakamataas na kaso ng adolescent HIV sa Southeast Asia. Buhay at kinabukasan ng ating mga kabataan ang nakataya rito. Kailangan nating doblehin ang efforts natin para ma-educate at maprotektahan ang ating mga kabataan,” Ejercito said.
Mercado said the DOH committed to boosting its budget for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) prevention from P1.394 billion in the 2026 General Appropriations Act to P1.674 billion under the proposed 2027 budget.
The health chief explained the increased funding will expand access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), HIV testing, condoms, antiretrovirals (ARVs), and viral load monitoring.
He added that DOH is also partnering with PhilHealth to integrate HIV testing into local YAKAP clinics and connect patients to accredited Outpatient HIV/AIDS Treatment (OHAT) centers to reach global treatment targets.
