As more young Filipinos battle anxiety, depression, and pressure from social media, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano urged the youth to find hope through faith and open conversations about mental health.
“Don’t doubt. You have a good future. Fight for it. Be an activist. But God has a good plan for you,” Cayetano said in an interview on November 5, 2025.
Cayetano said that while many factors contribute to mental health struggles, including biological and social pressures, the environment also plays a big role.
“It’s also the environment — the hate, the pressure, the misunderstanding, the comparison. Dati, peer pressure was only in your hometown, in school. But now with social media, everyone’s comparing everyone all the time,” he said.
He reminded young people that the key is not to face these challenges alone.
“Attitude and perspective really, really matter. And not all problems can be faced alone. Unfortunately, many people face mental health problems alone. They shouldn’t,” the senator said.
He urged the youth to spend more time grounding themselves in faith.
“Not everyone’s pressure comes from the same thing. But all of that can be an opportunity — to pause, reflect, and ask what God wants you to learn,” he said.
Cayetano also urged families and communities to create spaces where mental health can be discussed openly, emphasizing that while these challenges are real, they can be faced with faith, understanding, and support.
“Spend some time just praying. Spend some time getting to know God because that’s what’s missing. And once we realize that and once we look at the spiritual, many things will follow— – political, economic, social, ” he said.
