Virac Mental Health Matters

09|16|2026 | SINAG PAG-ASA: A Light for Those Who Care

Behind every person living with a mental health condition is someone who quietly chooses to stay—to understand, to support, to care, and to love, even on the most difficult days.

Yet behind that strength is a heart that can also become tired, overwhelmed, and in need of understanding.

The Sinag Pag-Asa Mental Health Support Group for Carers of the Municipality of Virac – Municipal Health Office continues to provide a safe and compassionate space where carers can share their stories, learn from one another, express their emotions, and find strength in knowing that they are not alone.

Our heartfelt gratitude to Ms. Kyla Jovita Surtida, Registered Psychologist, for generously sharing her time, knowledge, and expertise as our Resource Speaker. Her meaningful insights helped our carers better understand their emotions, strengthen their coping, and recognize the importance of caring for themselves while caring for others.

Because caring for someone is an act of love—but caregivers need care, too.

To every carer who continues to show up despite the exhaustion, who chooses patience despite the challenges, and who keeps hoping even when the journey feels heavy:

You are seen.
You are heard.
You are valued.
And you are not alone.

May Sinag Pag-Asa continue to be a gentle reminder that even in the darkest moments, there will always be a light to guide us home. 💜💚

Maraming salamat, CNHS YES-O, for giving the LGU Virac Municipal Health Office the privilege to be part of Project ALAB — Aksiyon, Liderato at Bayanihan para sa Mental Health and Environment.

More than an activity, Project ALAB is a reminder that mental health is a shared responsibility—that every young person deserves to be heard, understood, supported, and reminded that they do not have to face their struggles alone.

We are grateful to stand with young leaders who are brave enough to start conversations that matter, break the silence surrounding mental health, and create a community where asking for help is not a weakness, but an act of courage.

May your ALAB continue to burn brightly—bringing hope to those who feel lost, comfort to those who are hurting, and a gentle reminder that someone cares, someone listens, and help is always worth reaching for.

To the young leaders of CNHS YES-O, thank you for choosing to be a voice of hope. May you continue to inspire a generation that cares not only for the world around us, but also for the hearts and minds within it. 🫶

Because sometimes, changing a life begins with something as simple as saying: “Kumusta ka? Tara huron kita.”

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19AVMwApX6/?mibextid=wwXIfr

𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗛 𝗚𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗞𝗘𝗘𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗟 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗛 & 𝗦𝗨𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗗𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

On September 1, 2026, the Department of Health Bicol Center for Health Development, in collaboration with the Local Government Unit of Virac-Municipal Health Office, strengthened its commitment to youth mental health by conducting an Orientation for Child and Youth Gatekeepers on Mental Health and Su***de Prevention at Queen Maricel Inn.

The meaningful activity brought together more than a hundred youth participants from various organizations and youth sectors, including the CNHS-Youth for Environment in School Organization, Catanduanes State University (CATSU) Nursing Students, Local Youth Development Office-Virac, and Virac Sangguniang Kabataan officials and members.

The LGU Virac extends its heartfelt appreciation to the Department of Health Bicol Center for Health Development, especially Ms. Windalyn Baluis, for sharing her expertise and valuable insights on Mental Health Literacy, Myths and Facts, and Mental Health First Aid.

Through this initiative, our youth leaders are empowered with essential knowledge, awareness, and practical skills to recognize mental health concerns, provide appropriate initial support, promote help-seeking, and become advocates for mental health and su***de prevention within their schools, communities, and peer groups.

A significant milestone of the activity was the election of the first-ever Virac Youth Gatekeepers Officers.

Their election marks an important step toward establishing a sustained, youth-led support network aligned with the DOH’s goal of strengthening community capacity for mental health promotion and su***de prevention.

As youth gatekeepers, these officers will help connect, mobilize, and empower young people; serving as advocates for mental health awareness, encouraging early recognition of concerns, promoting appropriate referral and help-seeking, and helping create a supportive environment where every young person feels heard and valued.

This is more than an organization, it is a commitment to become part of the solution.

Together, we envision a generation of youth leaders who are informed, compassionate, proactive, and ready to stand with their fellow young people in promoting mental well-being, hope, and a culture of support.

Empowered youth. Informed communities. Stronger support systems.

💚 For every young person who needs someone to listen, someone to understand, and someone to help. Our Youth Gatekeepers are ready to stand with you.



***dePrevention

CHURCH NEWS | “Please Stay”: Pope Leo XIV Says No One Should Face Pain Alone This Su***de Prevention Month

When a young woman named Carmina asked Pope Leo XIV where God could be found “when the darkness is absolute, and we cannot take it anymore,” the Pope did not offer an easy explanation for her suffering.

Instead, he embraced her.

Pope Leo called her presence at the gathering “a remarkable miracle,” recognizing the strength it took for her to embrace a second chance at life.

Drawing from the Gospel accounts of Gethsemane and the Crucifixion, the Pope reflected on how Jesus Himself entered into the depths of human suffering.

In Gethsemane, Jesus experienced anguish. On the Cross, He entered fully into human pain.

For Pope Leo, these moments reveal a God who does not remain distant from those who suffer, but “bears our sorrows, who suffers with us, weeps our tears, and remains at our side.”

Yet the Pope was careful to make an important distinction: pain should not simply be spiritualized or explained away.

“God does not want suffering,” he said. Rather, God carries it with us and invites us to persevere.

That is why, especially as the Philippines observes Su***de Prevention Month this September, Pope Leo’s message calls not only for faith, but also for presence, listening, accompaniment, and proper mental health care.

He urged people not to face their pain in isolation—to open themselves to someone who can listen without rushing to explain their suffering, someone who can simply take them by the hand and help them find a way forward.

Sometimes, we may not have the words to make someone’s pain disappear.

But we can stay. We can listen. We can reach out. And we can help them find the care and support they need.

“Please stay.”

Because even when the darkness feels absolute, the story is not necessarily over.

SEPTEMBER IS SU***DE PREVENTION MONTH.
We must confront stigma with truth, compassion, and collective action.

The Department of Health (Philippines) is hosting a webinar on Su***de Prevention on September 7, Monday next week, 9:00–11:00 AM, bringing together experts and communities to strengthen national efforts in prevention and care.

This year’s global theme, “Changing the Narrative on Su***de,” with the 2026 call to action “Start the Conversation,” reminds us that saving lives begins with openness, empathy, and systemic support.

This year's theme focuses on 3 key areas:
- Open Dialogue — Normalize honest, compassionate conversations that break silence and stigma;
- Systemic Change — Advocate for stronger policies, accessible services, and sustained investment in mental health; and,
- Connection — Shift public perception from judgment to empathy, reminding every person that they are not alone.

Changing the narrative starts with us — our voices, our compassion, and our commitment to building a society where seeking help is safe, supported, and encouraged.

Register via https://bit.ly/Changingthenarrative2026 or join the FB Live.

🍃 Changing the Narrative: From Evidence to Action in Su***de Prevention
📅 September 7, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Zoom & DOH Philippines page Live

👉 Register now: https://bit.ly/Changingthenarrative2026

Diyos ang Mabalos, CNHS - YES O!
💚💜

SEPTEMBER reminds us that behind every smile, there may be a silent battle we cannot see.

For those fighting thoughts they cannot easily explain, for those grieving someone they lost, for survivors finding the courage to begin again, and for those who love, care, and quietly carry the weight with them—you are not alone.

May we be gentler with one another. May we listen without judgment, reach out without hesitation, and remind those who are struggling that their life matters, their story is not over, and there is always hope beyond this moment.

This Su***de Prevention Month, let love speak louder than silence.
Let us choose to notice.
Choose to listen.
Choose to stay. 💜🩵

𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗚𝗢 𝗡𝗚 𝗞𝗔𝗕𝗔𝗧𝗔𝗔𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 | 𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗟 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗛 𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦 💚🧠
📍 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝘆 𝗕𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗮 | 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗮 𝗗𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵
📅 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟯𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

Thank you, Barangay Bigaa, for giving us the opportunity to connect with the Kabataan ng Bigaa through this meaningful Mental Health Awareness activity. Saludo kami sa inyong aktibong pakikilahok at pagiging bukas sa usapin ng mental health. 🫂

Tandaan: hindi kahinaan ang humingi ng tulong. Ang pag-seek ng support ay isang paraan ng pag-aaruga sa sarili at sa ating mental health dahil bahagi ito ng pangangalaga sa ating kabuuang kalusugan. 💚

Hindi mo kailangang harapin ang lahat nang mag-isa. Okay lang huminto, magsabi, makinig sa sarili, at humingi ng tulong. May mga taong handang makinig at umalalay. 🌱

Sama-sama nating itaguyod ang isang mas mentally healthy, empowered, at resilient na kabataan! 💚✨

𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐆𝐎 𝐍𝐆 𝐊𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐀𝐍 𝐱 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐇 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 | 𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒💚✨
📍 Barangay Danicop | August 30, 2026

Maraming salamat, Kabataan ng Danicop, sa inyong mainit na pagtanggap at sa pag-imbita sa amin upang makibahagi sa makabuluhang pagdiriwang na ito. 💚

We are truly grateful for the opportunity to mas ipaigting ang mental health awareness sa ating mga kabataan because every young person deserves to feel heard, understood, supported, and valued. 🫂✨

Nawa’y patuloy nating palakasin ang kamalayan tungkol sa mental health at sama-sama tayong bumuo ng isang komunidad kung saan ang bawat kabataan ay may ligtas na espasyo upang magsalita, makinig, at humingi ng suporta.

Kabataan, mahalaga ang inyong boses. Mahalaga ang inyong nararamdaman. At hindi kayo nag-iisa. 💚🌱

Maraming salamat, Barangay Danicop! Padayon, Kabataan! ✨💪

💚