Naga’s zero-cost blueprint for mental hub is what we need right now 

Humble beginnings

What began in 2024 as a humble pilot initiative by the NGO Angat Pinas, Inc. (Angat Buhay), Councilor Gayle Abonal-Gomez, and the Ateneo de Naga University (ADNU) Department of Psychology has formally evolved. 

Originally operating out of a temporary room in the congressional office of then-Representative Gabby Bordado and later passing through the Jesse M. Robredo Center for Good Governance, the program has officially been adopted as an integral municipal program. Under Mayor Robredo’s administration, it is now structurally linked with the Mental Health Unit of City Health Office II.

Redefining “kahimati” through zero-cost infrastructure

The program’s philosophy is embedded in its very name. In Bicolano, “Kahimati” stems from “himati”—a rich cultural concept denoting a state of deep, empathetic, and highly mindful listening. It shifts public healthcare away from merely dispensing physical prescriptions toward providing emotional availability.

What makes this rollout a distinct blueprint for local government units (LGUs) nationwide is its zero-taxpayer cost model. Instead of tapping municipal funds to overhaul the library’s old “Green Room”—a space formerly used as an extension of the mayor’s office—the local government leveraged Angat Buhay’s extensive corporate volunteer network. 

Corporate giants like IKEA Philippines, H&F Retail Concepts, Davies Paints, and Bongcayao Architectural Studios fully sponsored the renovations. The result is a premium, clinical, yet comforting aesthetic sanctuary built entirely on corporate goodwill.

Naga’s model compared with other LGUs

While massive urban centers approach mental health through an “emergency response” lens—building heavy 24/7 crisis hotlines that can easily clog up centralized city hospitals—Naga focuses on localized de-escalation. By deploying dedicated barangay mental health care coordinators across 27 local communities, Naga catches mental health struggles before they spiral into psychiatric emergencies.

Moreover, while larger cities struggle with the financial overhead of hiring full-time civil service staff, Naga utilizes local academic institutions as key operational assets. Academic oversight from figures like ADNU Psychology Chairperson Richard Bautista and psychiatrist Dr. Apons Belmonte ensures that clinical excellence is maintained without draining city resources.

The activation of the Angat Kahimati Hub shatters the common executive excuse that progressive, high-quality mental healthcare is too expensive for local governments to sustain. By treating local academic talent and private corporations as active governance allies, Naga City has proven that emotional well-being does not have to be an expensive medical luxury. It can—and should—be treated as a basic, dignified human right.

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