MANILA – As the country celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month, Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chairperson Karlo Nograles has reminded government agencies of the need to promote the mental health of 1.9 million state workers nationwide.
Promoting mental health must be a year-round commitment, not only every October, as safeguarding mental and physical well-being is the foundation of a resilient bureaucracy, Nograles said in a statement on Monday.
“We count on our civil servants to run the day-to-day operations of government. Agency heads and officials must recognize that the quality of public service delivered to stakeholders depends not only on government workers' physical health, but also on their mental health as well,” Nograles said.
He noted that employees who enjoy good health, both physically and mentally, are more likely to deliver optimal performance in the workplace, not only because they have a better quality of life but also because of the benefit of having lower risk from disease, illness, or injury.
“Championing dynamic and resilient government workers, which was the highlight of the month-long celebration of the 123rd Philippine Civil Service Anniversary (PCSA), does not just entail changes in policies and processes. We must also recognize the varying capacities, capabilities, and unseen struggles that affect every civil servant’s well-being and productivity,” he said.
Under CSC Resolution No. 1901265 promulgated in October 2019, government agencies are directed to establish and implement a Mental Health Program (MHP) integrated into their respective human resources (HR) development and management policies and programs to provide an inclusive, conducive, and supportive work environment for public officials and employees.
The MHP also seeks to address the stigma on mental health and provide appropriate psychosocial support and treatment for employees with mental health conditions, as mandated under Republic Act No. 11036 or the Mental Health Act of 2018.
Nograles urged agencies to further promote employees’ well-being by organizing team building activities, sports festivals, support groups, and even virtual events such as the online Zumba and film showing during the 123rd PCSA in September.
“As the central human resource agency of the Philippine government, the CSC is constantly striving to provide transformative HR and organizational development programs and policies to guide agencies in fostering a healthy workplace,” he said. (PNA)
