The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) announced that mental health emergency response will soon be integrated into the national 911 hotline. The move aims to centralize access to crisis support by connecting individuals in psychological distress to trained mental health professionals through a single, nationwide number.
DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the service is being developed in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH) and the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH).
“We have counselors who can help people, especially the youth, needing psychosocial support,” he said.
A dedicated mental health help desk will be set up within the 911 command center, with NCMH counselors on standby to handle cases involving anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and other psychosocial emergencies.
Coordination with DOH, NCMH
Remulla confirmed that formal agreements are underway between the DILG, DOH, and NCMH to operationalize the mental health desk. Existing services like NCMH’s 1553 hotline will continue running, but integrating them with 911 is expected to streamline access and encourage more people to seek help.
To support the expansion, the DILG is enhancing the infrastructure of local government emergency hubs that will serve as dispatch centers. Investments are also being made in communications equipment and other logistical upgrades to improve response capacity.
Pilot Rollout by Late 2025
The rollout will begin with a pilot in Metro Manila, with nationwide implementation targeted by August or September 2025. The unified system is expected to handle an estimated 1,000 mental health-related calls daily—roughly 2% of the hotline’s total volume.
“Out of 50,000 calls per day, maybe two percent of the calls are about mental health,” Remulla shared.
Remulla emphasized that responders will undergo specialized training to handle mental health crises with care, confidentiality, and urgency. He said the initiative is part of a broader effort to modernize emergency response services and address evolving public health needs.
Boosting Mental Health Awareness
This move comes at a time of increasing concern over mental health in the Philippines, especially among the youth. By embedding psychological crisis response into the country’s primary emergency hotline, the government is sending a strong message: mental health matters. It not only improves access to immediate help but also helps reduce the stigma surrounding mental health conversations, making it easier for Filipinos to ask for support when they need it most.
