Naga City Council OKs reso calling for responsible reporting of suicide
The Naga City Council has approved a resolution urging responsible news reporting on mental health and suicide-related cases.
In the resolution No. 2025-294, the council stressed that mental health issues have been rampant and remain an urgent public health concern.
The measure, authored by councilors Gayle Abonal-Gomez and Vito Borja II, and city youth councilors Kathleen May Morata and Leziah Mauri Climacosa, noted the strong influence of media in the public’s perception and attitude about mental health and suicide-related news.
“Scientific research and international guidelines consistently demonstrate that certain types of media coverage of suicide, particularly those that are sensationalized, explicit, or repetitive, can lead to suicide contagion or 'Werther Effect,' increasing the risk of imitation among vulnerable individuals,” the resolution read.
The Werther Effect is a term coined from Johann Wolfgang von Geothe's novel The Sorrow of Young Werther, which follows a romantic infatuation ending in suicide. As the novel grew popular in the late 18th century, there was a rise in suicides among young men dressing like Wether.
The resolution emphasized that responsible journalism, as advocated by the Department of Health and the World Health Organization, is vital as it can “promote help-seeking, and foster hope and recovery.”
Furthermore, it urged all local media professionals, social media practitioners, as well as content creators to practice responsible reporting. This includes not publishing detailed descriptions of suicide methods, circumstances, and location, and avoiding the use of names, images, or any content that may identify individuals involved in suicide cases, unless granted permission by the family.
Media professionals are also discouraged from "sensationalizing, glamorizing, or normalizing suicide" in headlines, captions, images, or repeated coverage. They are also urged to monitor online discussions to prevent the spread of harmful and triggering content.
For proper reportage, they are encouraged to seek consultation from mental health professionals to ensure accuracy and sensitivity in reports, as well as providing information on mental health services, such as hotlines and support groups.
Moreover, media practitioners must strictly adhere to the guidelines set by the Department of Health in Administrative Order No. 2022-0004 and Republic Act No. 10173, or the Data Privacy Act.
Suicide rate in the Philippines in 2019 was 2.5 per 100,000 per population, as per DOH.
If you think you, your friend, or your family member is considering self-harm or suicide, you may call the National Mental Health Crisis Hotline at 1553 (Luzon-wide, landline toll-free), 0966-351-4518 or 0917-899-USAP (8727) for Globe/TM users, or 0908-639-2672 for Smart users.
