Beyond Awareness: MSU-IIT OGC Leads Mental Health Commitment

At the launch of World Mental Health Month 2026 at Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), a chain of personal commitments carried a collective message: listen without judgment, respond with compassion, and turn mental health awareness into meaningful support. Under the trees of the university’s Peace Park, students and university personnel gathered on Monday, October 12, for a celebration centered on a simple but meaningful idea: every story deserves to be heard. During the Chain of Commitment, participants raised a chain made of colored paper strips bearing personal pledges. Some read their commitments aloud, sharing messages about listening without judgment, choosing kindness, and offering support to people experiencing difficulties. Together, the pledges became a visible reminder that building a supportive community begins with the choices people make every day. The activity marked the launch of World Mental Health Month 2026 at MSU-IIT, organized by the Office of Guidance and Counseling (OGC) under the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Services (OVCSS). This year’s theme, “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change,” called on the university community to move beyond awareness and take people’s experiences seriously. In her opening remarks, Prof. Rohane Derogongan, JD, Ph.D., Vice Chancellor for Student Services, emphasized that behind every smile are stories of struggles, sacrifices, and perseverance. Her message underscored the importance of listening to people’s experiences without immediately judging them. A person’s difficulties may not always be visible, and outward appearances do not necessarily reflect what someone is going through. Creating a safe campus, therefore, requires a community willing to listen, understand, and respond with compassion. The message also highlighted an important reality: students’ well-being is shaped not only by their emotions but also by the circumstances they face in their daily lives. One concern reflected in the event notes was the experience of students who may have only one meal a day. The discussion connected this need with the importance of practical assistance, including free-meal support. It served as a reminder that listening to students also means recognizing the challenges that can affect their ability to study, participate, and care for themselves. Mental health advocacy, in this sense, goes beyond encouraging people to speak about their struggles. It also calls for attention to the conditions that contribute to those struggles and for support that responds to actual needs. Following the opening remarks, Ms. Sittie Aquizah Dumarpa, RGC, LPT, Head of the Office of Guidance and Counseling, led the launching of the World Mental Health Day activities and presented the planned initiatives for the month. The activities included advocacy booths and an advocacy film screening scheduled at the Library Theatre on October 14. These initiatives formed part of the university’s month-long effort to encourage conversations about mental health and make space for students’ lived experiences. The launch then proceeded to the Chain of Commitment, where participants raised their pledges as a collective expression of support. The messages shared during the activity returned to a common principle: listen more, avoid judgment, and choose kindness in dealing with others. The commitments extended beyond students. Messages from university leaders and representatives of different colleges emphasized the responsibility of the wider campus community, including faculty members and staff, to support people experiencing mental health difficulties. Among the recurring calls were to become more compassionate and supportive, listen without judgment, and practice kindness every day. These messages reinforced the idea that a safe campus is not created by a single event but through the continued participation of the people who make up the university. For students, mental health advocacy becomes meaningful when it recognizes their experiences rather than dismissing their emotions. Hezel Ann Baco, a second-year BS Mathematics student and member of the Organization of Student Peer Facilitators (OSPF), emphasized the importance of validating students’ feelings and recognizing their progress even when they are struggling. Her perspective highlights that difficulties do not erase the effort a person has already made. Students should be allowed to acknowledge their emotions, take time to understand themselves, and seek comfort in supportive spaces without feeling that struggling makes them less capable. Being heard does not necessarily mean that someone can immediately solve every problem. Sometimes, it begins with having another person acknowledge what they feel and allow them to speak without fear of being judged. However, personal understanding must also be supported by accessible services. Gabrielle Kyla Merlas, a second-year BS Metallurgical Engineering student and board member of MSU-IIT DOST-SEI Scholars’ Association (MIDSA), emphasized the importance of making support services available and accessible beyond special events. Her perspective points to the need for practical assistance and reliable avenues where students can seek help when they need it. Together, these student perspectives highlight two connected responsibilities: building relationships in which people feel safe enough to speak and maintaining support systems that students can turn to when personal support is not enough. The Chain of Commitment gave participants an opportunity to express the kind of community they wanted to help build. Yet the value of those promises depends on whether they continue to guide people's actions after the celebration ends. Listening without judgment means allowing a classmate to share a difficult experience without immediately dismissing their feelings. Choosing kindness means being mindful of how words and actions affect others. Offering support means recognizing when someone may need more than encouragement and helping them find appropriate assistance. These responsibilities belong not only to students but also to student organizations, faculty members, staff, and university offices. Each has a role in helping make the campus a place where people can speak about their experiences and seek support without feeling that their struggles make them a burden. The paper chain raised at Peace Park may have marked one moment in the university’s month-long celebration, but its message reaches beyond the activity itself. Mental health advocacy begins when people are heard. Real change follows when a community chooses to listen, respond with compassion, and turn its commitments into everyday practice. Written by Meriam Capayas and Jazel Maghilum Proofread by Frank Flores Art by Akitha Cadutdut Layout by Martina Real