The Philippine economy is losing about P68.9 billion annually as poor mental health continues to weigh on workforce productivity, according to findings presented at the National Mental Health Summit 2025.听
The estimate was presented by workplace mental health service provider Mind You, which said untreated mental health conditions have become a persistent economic burden,听largely driven听by absenteeism, presenteeism, and reduced productivity across industries.听
The findings were shared during the company鈥檚 annual summit held in October.听
Data presented at the summit showed that 77% of Filipino employees screened reported symptoms of depression, with听nearly 49.7%听experiencing moderate to severe levels that may require professional intervention.听
More than 4% were identified as听high risk, showing signs of severe depression or suicidal ideation, equivalent to over 6,000 individuals in the workplace struggling with serious mental health conditions.听
鈥淢ental health is the silent profit leak,鈥 Dr. Fabi Cari帽o, said in a statement, noting that the impact goes beyond absenteeism to include reduced creativity, weakened morale, and stalled innovation within organizations.听
The findings were drawn from mental health screenings and support data collected by Mind You from employees across multiple organizations.听
The study aimed to provide a clearer measurement of distress, burnout, and fatigue in the workplace, translating what companies often听observe听anecdotally into quantifiable indicators.听
Among the other notable findings was the prevalence of fatigue, with 77.5% of respondents saying they feel tired often or always.听
The summit also听identified听key barriers preventing workers from seeking support, including stigma, fear of judgment, concerns over confidentiality, lack of psychologically safe spaces, untrained leaders, and limited access to mental health resources.听
Mind You said that among the 15,000 employees who sought support through its platform, the most common reason cited was the need for 鈥渟omeone to talk to,鈥 noting the importance of early and accessible support systems rather than crisis-driven interventions.听
The National Mental Health Summit, organized annually by Mind You, serves as a venue for presenting data-driven insights on workplace mental well-being and for aligning public and private sector stakeholders on evidence-based approaches. 鈥斕Edg听Adrian A. Eva
