Grace Zurielle C. Malolos
1* 
, Maria Beatriz C. Baron
1, Faith Ann J. Apat
2, Hannah Andrea A. Sagsagat
3, Pamela Bianca M. Pasco
1, Emma Teresa Carmela L. Aportadera
4, Roland Joseph D. Tan
1,5, Angelica Joyce Gacutno-Evardone
6, Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno III
7,81 College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines
2 Matias H. Aznar Memorial College of Medicine, Cebu City, Philippines
3 West Visayas State University-College of Medicine, La Paz, Iloilo City, Philippines
4 Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
5 Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, Baguio City, Philippines
6 Department of Pediatrics, Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, Tacloban City, Philippines
7 Faculty of Management and Development Studies, University of the Philippines Open University, Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines
8 Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has subjected the mental health and wellbeing of Filipino children under drastic conditions. While children are more vulnerable to these detriments, there remains the absence of unified and comprehensive strategies in mitigating the deterioration of the mental health of Filipino children. Existing interventions focus on more general solutions that fail to acknowledge the circumstances that a Filipino child is subjected under. Moreover, these strategies also fail to address the multilayered issues faced by a lower middle-income country, such as the Philippines. As the mental well-being of Filipino children continues to be neglected, a subsequent and enduring mental health epidemic can only be expected for years to come.