President Rodrigo Duterte has signed Republic Act 11036, or the Philippine Mental Health Law, which aims to shed more light on the mental health of Filipinos.
The issue of mental health has been in the limelight following the recent suicide deaths of known personalities Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain and the sister of Queen Maxima of Denmark.
The Philippines is the last country to pass a mental health law in Southeast Asia.
June 22, 2018

The Department of Health (DOH) Region 8 in coordination with the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC), conducts blood donation activities today in celebration of the World Blood Donor Day.
The bloodletting is being held at the Sagkahan Community Center, this city, with blood donors coming from different line agencies particularly from the tri-bureaus under the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The one day activity has the theme, “Be there for someone else, give blood, share life”.
June 20, 2018
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Monday vowed to punish those responsible for anomalies in the P8.1-billion, two-phase Barangay Health Station Project, saying he was shocked by the volume of irregular transactions in his department.
“Heads will roll. Big names, small names, past and present. There will be no sacred cows. Heads will definitely roll,” Duque said at a briefing.
“I tried to give the persons involved the benefit of the doubt,” Duque told reporters. “I am beyond frustrated. I am saddened and disgusted that the Filipino people are being shortchanged by the very people who are supposed to serve them.”
June 19, 2018
The chairman of the House committee on appropriations on Monday said Congress has more reasons to approve the proposed supplemental budget for Dengvaxia victims following the New England Journal of Medicine’s affirmation of the ill-effects of Dengvaxia on certain children.
“This study should prompt swift approval of the supplemental budget,” Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles said, referring to House Bill 7449 or the P1.16-billion supplemental budget for 2018 that will cover possible medical expenses that may be incurred should children injected with Dengvaxia get ill.
June 18, 2018

Vying for awards in the upcoming 2018 PNHRS Week Celebration to be held in Baguio City on August 6-9, the Eastern Visayas Health Research and Development Consortium (EVHRDC) conducted Committee Chairs’ Meetings last May 21 and June 1 at the Conference Room, DOST-8 Building, Government Center, Candahug, Palo, Leyte.
Present in the meeting were Engr. Ernesto M. Granada, Consortium Director and presiding officer, Dr. Lucia P. Dauz, Consortium Coordinator, Dr. Jane Borrinaga, Ms. Josephine Hipe, Mr. Leonido Olobia, Dr. Virgildo Sabalo, and the EVHRDC Secretariat: Ms. Rachelle Mae Arape, Mr. Garret Jay Salvacion, Ms. Jessamay Mercado, and Mr. Jeffrey Hinampas.
June 2, 2018