By: Jennifer P. Rendon
Another teenager in Iloilo allegedly committed suicide evening of Sept. 15, 2019.
Police Major Jose Nemias Pamplona, Calinog police chief, confirmed the incident involving an 18-year-old girl from Barangay Datagan, Calinog town.
The body of the victim, a Grade 10 student, was discovered by her uncle around 7 p.m. Sunday.
The victim’s uncle said he did not immediately notice that victim hanged herself. He even asked her if she had already taken her dinner.
When he did not get any reply from her, he went near her and saw that a rope was tied around her neck.
The victim’s elder sibling claimed that the victim might have felt slighted after she was admonished.
It was gathered that the victim had two suicide attempts in the past.
She allegedly slashed her wrist after she was scolded or advised against the things she did
Prior to this, a 16-year old girl from Passi City and a 17-year old boy from Janiuay town also died of suicide.
Recently, mental health advocates raised the alarm of growing number of suicide incidents involving young people.
From January to August 2019, the Police Regional Office (PRO-6) already recorded 128 suicide cases in Western Visayas with Iloilo province on top of the list with 43 incidents.
It is followed by Capiz with 26, Negros Occidental with 23, Bacolod City and Guimaras province with 9 each, Antique and Iloilo City with 7 each; and Aklan with 4.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, PRO-6 spokesperson, is not discounting the possibility that there are other incidents which were not reported to police authorities.
In 2017, PRO-6 recorded 171 suicide incidents and 201 cases the following year.
Still, Iloilo province topped the most of cases with 59 incidents in 2017 and 73 in 2018.
Since 2013, the World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) is being observed every September 10 to promote awareness in a bid to provide worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides, with various activities around the world.
In the Philippines, it was deemed that the passage of Republic Act 11036 (The Mental Health Law) could address growing concerns on mental health and suicide incidents.
The law proposes a mental health policy that aims to enhance integrated mental health services, the promotion of mental health services, protection of people who use said services, and the establishment of a Philippine mental health council.
The Department of Health has established suicide prevention hotlines in the country.
For those who need help, they could call 0917-899-8727 (USAP) and 0917-989-8727 (USAP).
