On March 2023, the Gender and Development Unit in collaboration with the Guidance Office, Events Management Unit, and Mountain Province Mental Health Support Group (SILEW) conducted The MPSPC’s version of the Semicolon Project: The MPSPC Mental Health Movement 2023 to MPSPC students in its three campuses as part of the National Women’s Month celebration. The lectures were conducted in the MPSPC-Bontoc campus, MPSPC-Tadian campus, and MPSPC-Paracelis campus on March 21, 30, and 23, respectively.
In the morning, Ms. Claire B. Agyapas and Ms. Crystine Felimon, guidance counselors, served as speakers on “Mental Health Awareness and Emotional First Aid” on the different campuses. They explained the history of the semicolon project and the importance of talking about mental health. They emphasized individual differences and symptoms to assess when it is not okay to be not okay. They mentioned that caring for others includes communicating, being kind, caring, and supportive. Insensitive and unhelpful comments were discouraged. On the other hand, they discussed the importance of self-care or emotional first aid. They explained the importance of being able to provide care for oneself by having an emotional first aid kit, such as having an emotional check, making a quote, saying, or motto out of your failures, and making your own emotional first aid kit by writing its possible contents. The participants were also able to share the content of their activities. In the afternoon, Ms. Carolyne Dale Castaňeda from the Events Management Office and a mental health advocate representing the SILEW Mountain Province Mental Health Support Group talked about “Emotional Support”. She integrated some activities that engaged the students to participate such as grounding techniques and breathing exercises.
