From Philippine Information Society

By Alexia Bangayan

On Saturday, January 3, the Department of Health (DOH) reported an increase in calls related to mental health concerns during the holiday season, with nearly 1,000 individuals calling from December 21, 2025, to January 2, 2026.

According to the report, the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) Crisis Hotline shows that a total of 961 calls were received during this period.

The DOH said that the increase in calls was noticeable around December 30, 2025, when operators reported a higher number of callers seeking psychological support.

They noted that most of the concerns were related to relationship problems, anxiety, and depression.

DOH Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo stated that this was the first time that the department has monitored the total number of mental health hotline calls.

Moreover, the department reminded the public that the NCMH is available for anyone seeking support.

Monitoring of calls will continue until Monday, January 5, and the hotline will remain operational throughout this period.

The NCMH Crisis Hotline may be reached at 1553 or at 0919-057-1553 and 0917-899-8727.