Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Manual Philippines

The Philippines is among the most disaster-prone countries in the world, where repeated exposure to typhoons, floods, earthquakes, and conflict has profound impacts not only on physical well-being but also on mental health and psychosocial resilience. While humanitarian systems have strengthened logistics, medical, and shelter capacities, the psychosocial dimensions of crises often remain under-prioritized. Communities experience cumulative distress, and frontline responders themselves face risks of burnout and secondary trauma.

This manual was developed under the People in Need (PIN) MHPSS Learning Project, in close collaboration with the START Network and In Touch Community Services. It combines the results of a landscape assessment in five priority regions—Cagayan Valley, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, BARMM, and Caraga—with global standards, contextualized practices, and community-grounded models. The goal is to provide a structured, practical guide for strengthening MHPSS in humanitarian response, ensuring that psychosocial support is predictable, consistent, and sustainable.