The Philippines, being a country of cultural
Name: Serrano, Melissa Ann V.
Proposal Title: SOLACE: A Museum for the Soul: An
Immersive Museum Designed to Redefine the Societal
Perspective of Mental Health Illness
Abstract
As of 2018, according to research by the
World Health Organization (WHO), the Philippines is
subject to an estimate of 154 million individuals who
suffer from depression and anxiety, 1 million from
schizophrenia, 15.3 million from drug-related
disorders, and 877,000 people who commit suicide
yearly. Currently, mental illness ranks the third among
the common conditions among individuals in the
county, and for this reason, the nation classify as the
third country in the Western Pacific with the high rates
of mental problems among its population. Not long ago,
the Philippines has recently passed its first Mental
Health Act in 2001 which serves to protect those
individuals that endures such illnesses. The act has
been revised throughout the year 2016, and a following
enactment in 2018. These stipulations have brought a
breakthrough in the field of psychiatry. In that sense, if
the country does have an act to give attention to these
individuals, why does people who suffer with mental
health problems constantly escalate specially during
this time of pandemic?
The major concern in the mental health care
services and facilities is the incapability of supporting
and catering patients. Based on the 2022 Mental health
strategic plan 2019–2023 of the Department of Health
(DOH), only 4.25% is intended target budget for mental
health care for 2022 and 5% for 2023 which is not a
substantial increase from the year 2020 where only
2.75% is allocated for mental health care. In addition,
there are only two tertiary level hospitals in the country
intended for psychiatric care (National Center for
Mental Health in Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila
(4200 beds) and the Mariveles Mental Hospital in
Bataan, Luzon (500 beds) and a few numbers of
smaller facilities. Sadly enough, the quantity mental
health workers and professionals are insufficient as
well. According to the study of BJPsych Int. in the year
2019, the ratio is that there are at least 2-3 workers for
every 100,000 Filipinos which is devastating.
beliefs, and traditions, tragically conceived a social
stigma towards people suffering from mental problems.
Over the years, the society has not been giving much
awareness to fact that mental health illness does exist,
and it is a prevalent issue that is present in every social
setting. For instance, even at the comfort of their
homes, not everyone suffering from anxiety or
depression can genuinely be understood by their own
families. Often, there may be circumstances of
rejection from the family or friends. Moreover, there are
also situations wherein some people with high self-
regard does not consider their own mental health
problems due to unrealistic perspectives of pessimism
and optimism that despite the fact they need
consolation and support from other people or even
professional help, they tend to subdue their illness all
on their own which leaves them in an overwhelming
situation. This notion has been passed through
centuries and it constantly increases over time due to
the lack of proper education and resources to enlighten
and give sensitivity to the matter of mental health
awareness. As a consequence of the stigma that is
widespread in the country, people undergoing such
conditions tends to conceal, and disguise their situation
instead of consulting or receiving a diagnosis to avoid
negative judgement and confrontation from the public
and to avoid employment issues as the condition is
seen by some employers as a liability and weakness,
hence, they rely on an adaptive way to cope with the
challenges and be forced to believe that what they are
going through will suddenly “go away” in time.
In the Philippines, there is currently no facility
or a structure that is intended for the sole purpose of
mental health awareness. However, there is a museum
in Beckenham, England named Bethlem Museum of
the Mind that opened in March 2015 which exhibits and
curates stories and experiences of people with mental
illness through their diverse art and history that serves
to inform the society the facts and sensitivity of mental
illness. On their blog webpage, there were several
reviews on the effectiveness of the museum on how it
influences and impassion other people.
In light of these situations, some efforts are being
conducted by individuals, organizations, campaigns,
and along with the World Health Organization (WHO)
through the use of media to effectively impact and
inform the society about actual idea of mental illness
and the people experiencing it. Culture and arts have
also played a vital role to express and raise awareness.
People need to be educated and to immerse
themselves on the actuality about the adversity that
individuals with mental health problems are dealing
with in order to gain a sufficient understanding and
reflection that having such issues does not make one
less of a person that is deserving of rejection,
discrimination, and isolation.
Although for some people, even their schools,
their workplace, or even their homes, they are unable
to feel accepted and comforted. The soul of a human
being is said to have three parts which is the mind, the
will, and the emotion as they are the inward parts for
the growth in life. The project, SOLACE: A Museum for
the Soul: An Immersive Museum Designed to Redefine
the Societal Perspective of Mental Health Illness
corresponds to every individual soul. The museum is
intended to answer the need for a safe place for people
suffering from mental illness where they can be
themselves without fear of judgement and
discrimination. The demand for creating a facility that
focuses to educate people on mental health awareness
through the utilization of actual stories and experiences
of people with mental illness, immersive ventures
within the facility with an aim to gain emphatic views,
the use of culture and art as a tool for mental and
emotional communication and interactions is
necessary as a means to redefine the societal
perspective of mental health illness in the Philippines.
Problem Statement
With the increasing number of cases of
mental illness in the country, there is the necessity to
enlighten the public on mental health awareness and
to understand that it is common to encounter such
problems at some point in their lives in reference to the
article by National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI),
which states that there is 1 in 5 adults in the United
States is suffering from mental health problems every
year.
During the intensity of the pandemic in the
year 2020, several people was bombarded with stress,
grief, and difficulty which contributed to the growth of
individuals suffering with mental illness. This situation
was aroused by the sense of restlessness and isolation
brought by the community quarantine restrictions. Most
office employees were forced to work from home but
unfortunately, not everyone has the privilege to do so,
especially those people that are frontliners, and those
people that have jobs that requires them to head out
daily which placed them to much greater risk of
infection. Students were also forced to stay in the
safety of their homes but was still mandated to resume
their education through online classes. This situation
posed a larger toll to the mental health of the Filipinos.
For some, it breached the gap between the
idea of home and the workplace wherein a home was
no longer a place of rest. While others, stressed on the
fact that they do not have the means to pursue online
education. The crisis that the pandemic brought to the
country has impacted the lives of many people that not
everyone has and will be able to recover from. In that
sense, the research aims to address these problems:
General Problem:
1. Since the enactment of the Mental Health Act in
2001, there has been no significant development
in reducing the quantity of people experiencing
mental health problems, and many are still left
undiagnosed.
Specific Problems:
1. The social stigma that continues to exist
everywhere and consequently burdens individuals
with mental health conditions despite the fact that
there are initiatives that promotes the anti-stigma
campaign, symposiums that disseminate mental
health awareness, and other strategies.
2. The lack of a facility that focuses on educating
people the sensitive topic of mental health
awareness in the society.
3. The lack of areas where people suffering from
mental illness can fully express, communicate,
and connect with themselves and others.
Project Goal and Objectives

The project intends to create a museum an

immersive museum that is designed to redefine the
societal perspective of mental health illness in the
country and to provide a safe place for people suffering
from it. With that, these are the objectives of the study:

General Objective:

1. To be the first museum in the Philippines that aims

to educate, immerse, and exhibit to individuals the
concept of mental health awareness.
2. Provide a safe place of solace for people suffering
from mental illness where they can be themselves
free of societal stigma

Specific Objectives:

1. To design a distinctive museum that is in

accordance with the architectural identity and
standards.
2. To promote the use of culture and art as means of
positive connection towards mental health and to
embrace and stimulate creativity.
3. To share stories and celebrate experiences of
people with mental illness through their art with the
intent of giving inspirations and motivations
towards individuals.