Medicines for mental health condition in this photo shared by pharmacy student Riona Maestro Sison on her Facebook on Jan. 12, 2026 (riona05 via Facebook)
A pharmacy student raised awareness about how Filipinos can access free medicines for mental health conditions.
Facebook user Riona Maestro Sison on Monday, January 12, shared that she was able to get 60 tablets of an antidepressant “totally free of charge” through a program of the Department of Health.
Called the Medicines Access Program for Mental Health (MAP-MH), she said it allowed her to obtain free medicines for her condition at an access site recognized under the initiative.
“Words cannot express how I feel happy, both as a student pharmacist and a service user of mental health medicines. As a student pharmacist, I learned the importance of knowing the free health services and medications that are available for service users,” Sison said.
She then shared links to Facebook posts showing medicines available through the MAP-MH, along with a list of access sites where Filipinos can obtain them.
Sison said that she was able to get her medicines by presenting her medical certificate or prescription and a valid ID.
Meanwhile, physician Rodney Boncajes, a medical specialist at the National Center of Mental Health, shared a post highlighting medicines for mental health conditions that Pinoys can access through the MAP-MH.
He noted that their “availability may vary according to the supply and demand per Access Site.”
Boncajes also shared a list of access sites where Filipinos can obtain free medicines for mental health conditions.
Meanwhile, Sison shared that before getting her prescription and medical certificate, she went to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Psychiatry Department for “free consultation and therapy services.”
She said that while the PGH can also provide medicines, their availability depends on supply.
Sison also shared a link where Filipinos can request an online consultation and appointment at the PGH, along with instructions on the process itself.
Sison also said she is open to questions or comments about the process she went through to obtain free medicines for mental health.
The MAP-MH is a program launched by the DOH last year, allowing patients with valid prescriptions to receive certain medications for conditions such as depression and bipolar disorder at no cost through public health centers.
