AKLAN, Philippines – Residents of Boracay have come together to address creeping cases of depression on the island, raising funds to help a local psycho-social support initiative and some volunteering to help as counselors.
In 2020, when the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were felt on the island and Aklan, the group started yoga meditation sessions that also served as fund-raising activities for those with mental health issues. The parade, which was held along the beach, was participated in by local government officials and workers, volunteers from the Philippine Red Cross in Boracay, various civic groups, and concerned individuals.
Eric Egualada, a painter from Antipolo who has been training young people in Boracay and Bacolod, said several of his students suffered depression but survived it through self-expression.