30 Addressing Inequality During the Pandemic experienced by medical frontliners such as exceptional stress, extreme workloads, difficult decisions, risks of becoming infected and spreading infection to families and communities, and witnessing deaths of patients. Over 1,000 participants from local government units, hospitals, and various sectors from all around the country attended.111 129 PDRF President Butch Meily said “Mental health is one of the major problems of this prolonged emergency. This is especially true of our healthcare frontliners who face danger, despair, stress, and difficulties. What we can do is continue to support our medical personnel, nurses, and doctors. Social cohesion, a sense of solidarity, and being able to cope are key to getting us through the pandemic.” Experts from universities from different regions and the Commission on Human Rights explored possible solutions and shared their best practices to mitigate common mental health challenges for healthcare workers.112 130 In celebration of National Mental Health Week (11 to 16 October 2021), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) launched Lusog-Isip, the country’s first mobile application for mental health and self-care. Lusog-Isip was developed by USAID and DOH in response to the growing need for mental healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. 131 Lusog-Isip screens individuals to get a better sense of their overall well-being and how they usually cope with stress before recommending ways they can help themselves through workbooks, exercises, audio guides, journaling, mood tracking, or even just simple selfcare reminders. It also provides a list of mental health and psychosocial support service providers online or nearby. USAID is committed to supporting the promotion of this mobile app in schools, workplaces, and communities.113 132 On 13 October 2021, the Philippines was the first country to launch a joint UN investment case on mental health, a collaboration between the DOH, UNDP and WHO under the coordination of the UN Interagency Task Force on NCDs (UNIATF). More than a thousand participants attended the launch, a clear sign of the growing prominence of mental health in policy discussions in the Philippines.114 133 Key sectors of government, UN agencies and civil society called for increased action, citing the main findings of the investment case that investing in evidence-based, costeffective, WHO-recommended mental health interventions could save more than 26,000 lives and return 3 million healthy life years to Filipinos over 20 years, and yield returns over 20 years as high as US $15 for every $1 invested now.115 134 The report outlines not only the health but also the economic rationale for investing in evidence-based, WHO-recommended interventions that are in line with community- 111 Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation. (2021). Press Release: PDRF, experts address mental health issues of frontliners during pandemic. Retreived from https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/PRESS%20RELEASE%20 -30September2021-PDRF%2C%20experts%20address%20mental%20health%20issues%20of %20frontliners%20 during%20pandemic.pdf 112 Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation. (2021). Press Release: PDRF, experts address mental health issues of frontliners during pandemic. Retreived from https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/PRESS%20RELEASE%20 -30September2021-PDRF%2C%20experts%20address%20mental%20health%20issues%20of %20frontliners%20 during%20pandemic.pdf 113 U.S. Embassy Manila. (2021). USAID and DOH Launch Philippines’ First Mobile App for Mental Health. https:// ph.usembassy.gov/usaid-and-doh-launch-philippines-first-mobile-app-for-mental-health/ 114 Grafton, D., Vicedo, K, & Rashid, M. (2021). The economic case for investing in mental health. Retrieved from https:// www.asia-pacific.undp.org/content/rbap/en/home/blog/2021/the-economic-case-for-investing-in-mental-health.html 115 Grafton, D., Vicedo, K, & Rashid, M. (2021). The economic case for investing in mental health. Retrieved from https:// www.asia-pacific.undp.org/content/rbap/en/home/blog/2021/the-economic-case-for-investing-in-mental-health.html