Workers in PHL reporting mental health issues at rate exceeding global average

Exploring the challenges faced by the working population, the latest AXA Mind Health Study uncovers a concerning paradox in businesses of all sizes worldwide.

Despite evidence indicating work-related mental health issues, most employees don’t perceive work as the main source of their difficulties.

In fact, fewer than a quarter attribute their mental health challenges to their jobs, highlighting a significant disconnect from the actual causes of their struggles.

 High Levels of Work-related Mental Health Issues in the Philippines

The study determined the consequences of the work environment and asked respondents to assess whether they experience any of the following: tiredness, trouble sleeping, stress and anxiety, loss of interest, difficulty concentrating, loss of self-confidence, feeling of worthlessness, and appetite or eating disorders.

Local numbers revealed that 87% of Filipino workers experience at least one of these consequences, 11% higher than the global average (76%).

Moreover, half of the Filipino workforce experiences more than four of these consequences and at significantly higher rates than the global numbers (mostly over 10%). 

Drawing from firsthand experiences, an employee at a local firm observed that mental health challenges manifest in different forms like sudden mood shifts, moments of zoning out, or appearing lost in thought. “95% of the time there are no noticeable signs, at least for me. I just realized I had an episode after.”

Disengagement and Burnout

The repercussions of poor mental health in the workplace are leading to significant disengagement. 85% of Filipino employees are contemplating stepping back from work, with 68% considering quitting or changing jobs. 

Due to their emotional well-being in the workplace, many Filipino workers are disengaging by taking training courses to change jobs (57%), working remotely so they do not have to come to the workplace (54%), or taking sick leave (50%). In particular, 31% have taken sick leave due to mental or psychological health issues.

Burnout is another critical issue, with 33% of respondents experiencing it in the past year, well above the global average of 20%. Alarmingly, only 22% of those who experienced burnout sought help from healthcare professionals, highlighting a gap in mental health support.

Employee Satisfaction Towards Company Support

On a positive note, Filipino employees are more likely to seek support from their managers compared to their global counterparts (64% vs. 46%). Furthermore, 71% feel that their companies are taking action to care for their mental health, compared to 57% globally. Satisfaction with company support during personal difficulties is also relatively high at 68%, though it drops to 58% for those experiencing burnout.

Given the variety of mind health problems and difficulties encountered in the workplace, businesses should have a diverse range of solutions on their radar to meet everyone’s needs. Part of the findings of the report is to establish a better understanding of how they can take action. It determined several key initiatives straight from the respondents.

For example, Filipino employees expect their employers to provide mental health workshops and seminars (49%), access to external consultation services (43%), and designated mental health days (38%). Notably, Filipino workers show a stronger preference for mental health education compared to the global average (49% vs. 36%).

The Path Forward for Employers

The AXA Mind Health Report underscores the importance of employers raising awareness about mental health, identifying early signs of distress, and promoting help-seeking behaviors. By adopting a holistic approach to mental well-being that considers both personal and professional factors, companies can reduce absenteeism, boost productivity, and foster a supportive work environment.

“Prioritizing the health of employees and recognizing how critical it is to ensure they maintain a positive state of being in and out of the workplace is a business imperative. I always believe that at the center of every business is their people. And we can’t be fully achieving success without empowering this core. As Patrick Cohen, CEO of AXA Europe and Health, puts it: when people’s mind health improves, they flourish, and in turn, so do our businesses and economy,” said Sharon Hernandez, Chief Human Resources Officer of AXA Philippines.

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Source: Inquirer

DENR boosts production of native trees and bamboo

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is boosting native tree and bamboo species production by establishing forest nurseries across its regional offices.

An existing DENR memorandum order mandates existing and fully operational nurseries (EFONs) to produce a minimum of 15,000 seedlings of indigenous and endemic tree species annually.

It also guarantees the availability of free seedlings of native species for individuals, organizations, government agencies, nongovernment organizations (NGOs), and tree-growing advocates.

"If EFONs are cultivating both native tree seedlings and bamboo culms, the minimum annual target is set at 10,000 seedlings (75-percent native trees and 25-percent bamboo)," said DENR.

DENR Assistant Secretary and Forest Management Bureau Director Arleigh Adorable emphasized that native trees are well-suited to local environmental conditions.

He added they play an important role in providing ecosystem services, supporting local wildlife, and establishing green spaces in urban areas where a significant portion of the country's population reside.

Some of the popular native tree species include narra, guijo, kamagong, red lauan, white lauan, tindalo, yakal and molave.

On the other hand, exempted from the initial year's seedling production targets are newly established and rehabilitated nurseries. However in the following years, they are expected to produce a minimum of 15,000 seedlings annually.

"Further, a 10-percent minimum seedling requirement is established for ornamental and indigenous flowering tree species," the DENR said.

The annual minimum seedling requirement for ornamental plants for the DENR-National Capital Region (NCR) office, meanwhile, was increased to 30 percent.

If the covered agency has a limited area, DENR said that seedling nurseries can be constructed in "strategic areas" outside DENR premises through partnerships and memorandums of agreement with local government units, academics, community groups, and NGOs.

The order covers all 142 DENR-Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices (Cenros), DENR-NCR, and 17 of the 76 DENR Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Offices (Penros) designated as "implementing Penros" due to the absence of Cenros in their respective jurisdictions.

The project is in line with the department's biodiversity promotion and support for the local bamboo industry.

Moreover, the DENR recognizes the importance of producing environmentally and economically valuable bamboo species to scale up its productivity and accessibility in the Philippines.

Source: Manila Times

Spending for environment protection dwindles in 2022

Government spending for environmental protection declined by 7.3 percent to P23.83 billion last year from P25.72 billion in 2021, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The Compendium of Philippine Environment Statistics (CPES) Component 6 released by the PSA showed the protection of biodiversity and landscape received the biggest share of 40 percent at P9.54 billion.

The amount was 3.6 percent lower than the P9.9 billion spent in 2021.

Environmental protection not elsewhere classified expenditures fell by 11.2 percent to P6.8 billion from P7.66 billion and accounted for the second largest share of 28.5 percent of the total government spending on environmental protection.

This was followed by waste management expenditure, which amounted to P3.66 billion or 15.4 percent. The amount decreased by 7.3 percent from P3.95 billion in 2021.

Spending for pollution abatement also fell by 18.3 percent to P2.81 billion from P3.44 billion for a share of 11.8 percent.

Expenditures for research and development on environmental protection slipped by 5.3 percent to P728.93 million from P769.47 million, followed by waste water management that accounted for the lowest share of the total government environmental protection expenditures last year with P298.51 million.

Likewise, the government’s climate change expenditure jumped 149.7 percent to P444.86 billion. Of the total amount, P341.35 billion went to adaptation efforts and P103.51 billion for mitigation.

In terms of the National Climate Change Action Plan’s strategic priorities, water sufficiency had the biggest share of 68.2 percent in total climate change expenditure last year with P303.48 billion.

This was followed by sustainable energy with P103.97 billion or 23.4 percent share and food security placed third with P19.88 billion or a 4.5 percent share.

Data from the PSA showed the number of students enrolled in environment-related education degree programs jumped by 19 percent to 28,784 last year from 24,194 in 2021.

Among the programs in the Philippine Standard Classification of Education, the environmental science degree program had the highest number of enrolled students at 11,911 last year, while environmental and sanitary engineering recorded the lowest number of enrolled students at 1,384.

Source: Philstar