In a significant step forward for South Cotabato’s commitment to mental health awareness, the Office of the Provincial Population Officer (OPPO) has successfully conducted a Capacity Building Workshop aimed at developing a Mental Health Module specifically tailored for parents and adolescents. This initiative marks a milestone in the province’s continuous efforts to address mental health concerns through proactive community-based interventions.
The OPPO recently conducted a successful test run of the newly crafted Mental Health Awareness Module, engaging 15 parent-participants—all women—from Barangay Upper Sepaka in Surallah. The pilot implementation served not only as a trial but as a critical step in validating the content and relevance of the module in real community settings. Participants expressed appreciation for the opportunity to gain deeper insight into mental health issues, particularly those that impact the youth and family dynamics.
This development is seen as a strategic component in expanding the province’s Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) Program, integrating mental well-being into its advocacy framework. With rising concerns over emotional and psychological challenges faced by adolescents and their families, the new module is designed to equip parents with foundational knowledge, empathetic communication techniques, and community support tools.
The Office of the Provincial Population Officer reaffirmed its commitment to refining and rolling out the module across more communities in the coming months. As the province positions itself as a proactive champion for holistic family health, the success of this test run signals a promising future for more inclusive and responsive population programs that place mental health front and center.
