Core Advocacy

First, Braegen Optimum Affiliates would like everyone to become aware of this pressing
issue. A profound care and understanding towards people with special concerns are of great help
for their wellness. A society that will embrace the weaknesses of its citizens will develop a
strong bond where discrimination will not foster. Calling these people with special concerns with
names and ridiculing them won’t benefit s neither. We like to inform and educate the majority, to
enforce them with knowledge and wisdom, to act right. We have to make ourselves able for us to
help the needy and the afflicted.
Second, Braegen Optimum Affiliates would like to break the stigma. People with special
concerns shouldn’t be branded with hostile, undignified pseudonyms. They are humans too that
need equal but with extra-special treatment. There is definitely hope, there can be a cure for as
long as we will avail medical, psychological, and mental assistance. Negligence won’t make our
trail towards the solution possible. We should direct our attention in improving their condition
and not to judge of what and who they are.
Finally, through Braegen Optimum Affiliates, this can be an avenue wherein we can link
our divided perspectives and unify it after all. The human mind is a wonderful, an amazing part
of the body, greatest and inventions sprung out from this, might as well use it in a more useful
manner. With our high hopes, we can at least lessen mental health related incidents, we can turn
the world, like the brain, the sources of all good that will uplift the living condition of everyone.
With our collaborative efforts, we can defeat mental health problems. That someday no
one will cringe because of fear, anxiety, sadness, and all the negative energy. We will make the
world, its people alright again.

Mission
Our purpose for being on this earth is to help others recognize, develop, and use their
God-given intuitive and abilities to ease suffering and grow in goodness, love, compassion and
wisdom. Our mission is to build a strong relationship with our peers that we can learn on
whenever we need a helping hand. Our desire is to help each of us connect to the love that is
eternal, that is the reason for our existence. Braegen Optimum Affiliates promotes improved
mental well-being through education by providing opportunities for individuals to identify early
warning signs of mental illness and subsequently provide programs, a support for recovery and
improves resilience for individuals in community, and advocacy to spread awareness of
community’s understanding about mental health.
Vision
Through listening to and serving others, we will learn new ideas and gain different
perspectives. Our vision is to gain life-long learning, experiences and skills that we can apply to
our lives. We will strive to gain mastery over life’s challenges through increasing my circle of
influence and de-emphasizing those areas of concern over which we have no control.

Intended members:
Community Counsellors- They are the authorized persons who will give mental treatment
through counselling and give pieces of advice that will help clients to manage emotions as well
as behaviour.
Psychiatrists- They are medical doctors that assess both mental and physical aspects of
psychological problems. Since they are medical doctors they are the one who can execute and
order variety of treatments such as psychotherapy, meditations, and full range of psychological
tests and medical laboratory.
Clinical Psychologists- They are treating mental, emotional, and behavioural disorders. Like
other counsellors, they also conduct therapeutic communication to treat emotional disorders.
Mothers- Since mothers are the so called ilaw ng tahanan, they should be the first one who listen
to their children’s problems and burdens. Also, the one who enlighten minds and hearts of their
children on life’s challenges and guide them whenever needed.

Projects:
Peer Counselling- Our organization wants to help those individuals to overcome unwanted
situations and to release an emotional tension. Having a quality time for friends. Free from stress,
free from any unfavourable situations, and free from any burdens. To at least have one day in a
week venting out problems.
Seminars on Managing Stress, Anger, and Conflict- Our organization wants to give an awareness
and knowledge on how to manage stress, anger and conflict with the help of the different
counsellors every last Sunday of the month. This seminar will be an avenue for the individuals to
remind them that all of us must take care of our lives and live mentally healthy.
Community Yoga or Zumba- Our organization wants people to have time to relax minds and to
burn stress by dancing freely every Friday afternoon after a stressful work or class.
Free Consultations or Check Up- Our organization wants to improve the mental well-being of
community people by having free consultations to people who suffer stress from work, school
and at home. Our organization is open weekly to reach out your mental concerns. We always lift
our hands to help others become mentally healthy.
Recreational Activities- Our organization strongly provide recreational activities in this
community like basketball and volleyball to reduce the stress of people especially teenagers. This
would help our community people by putting their mental concerns by being active inside the
game arena. Therefore, this organization build not only to manage people’s stress but by
introducing to people to be productive and skilful in their respective lives.
 Baliw, abnormal, may-toyo, and the likes are the few famous lines associated to people
with mental health issues. The Philippines has a poor mental health projects, programs also, this
issue has been taken less for too long, however the emergence of mental health awareness has
been gradually addressed because of the enactment of the Republic Act 11036 or the mental
health law. The new legislation brings hope to many Filipinos who cannot cater the needs of
individuals with special concerns-Amidst the dark days, light is radiating in the community that
can truly make a great difference. “This act establishes a national mental health policy for the
purpose of enhancing the delivery of integrated mental health services, promoting and protecting
the rights of persons utilizing psychiatric, neurologic and psychosocial health services,
appropriating funds therefore, and for other purposes”.
The world health organization stated that 24% of the global population or over 450
million people around the world suffer from different mental or neurological disorders. In the
Philippines alone, WHO’s refers revealed that in the year 2012, a total number of 258 suicide
caused by mental health problems. Mental health in our country is faced with false beliefs,
ignorance, misconceptions and a stigmatize topic.
The Braegan Optimum Affiliates, with the help of different humanitarian aids strongly
addresses Mental Health Awareness with these core advocacies.
BRAEGEN OPTIMUM
AFFILIATES
(MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS)
James Parallag
Jerson Danao
Vincent Tamayao
Gayle Gumarang
Jenema Callao