MSU-GenSan's pioneering BS Psychology students lead mental-health talk, stress role in community-based mental health solutions

Special and historic.

This was how the pioneering batch and the department chairperson of the Bachelor of Science in Psychology (BS Psychology) described the mental health seminar they conducted at ICEBOX TBI Event Space, H-building, on May 9.

BS Psychology is one of the new programs recently offered in Mindanao State University - General Santos (MSU-GenSan), along with BS in Agriculture major in Horticulture and BS in Agriculture major in Agricultural Extension.

In celebration of Mental Health Awareness Week, BS Psychology students initiated a seminar titled ”PSYCOMMUNITY: Fostering reflection and Building Connections,” which aimed to provide inputs related to mental health and well-being, reaching students across the seven colleges and one institute in the MSU-GenSan Fatima campus.

The discussion was led by Dr. Mary Glenda A. Lugtu, RPsy, Psychology Department Head of General Santos Doctors’ Medical School Foundation, Inc. 

In an interview with Bagwis, Prof. Luz P. Doce, the chairperson of the Psychology Department under MSU-GenSan’s College of Social Sciences and Humanities (CSSH), shared that they consider the event historic for their department as it marked the first official celebration of Mental Health Awareness Week in May since the program’s inception.

“We find it very important, the fact that it's actually in the nature of the program itself, which is the study of behavior—Psychology, and so we have to somehow pick up the demand or somehow the feeling that there is a need to really focus on our mental health because of the stigma that everyone receives whenever we talk about mental health,” Prof. Doce said. 

While this wasn't their first activity focused on mental health, as explained by the president of Psychology Majors Society, Fajar Aleyyha Modale, they still deem it “special”  due to the efforts poured into planning and partnering with other student organizations.

“We actually had our activity last semester, which was Mental Health Awareness Month [for] the month of October. Pero ang ginawa namin noon was, we went to Laktanan, as well as “You Matter”, and we also had a seminar, pero for faculty siya,” Modale recalled.  

Moreover, Modale emphasized the timeliness of the celebration of Mental Health Awareness Week, celebrated every May,  as it coincided with a particularly busy academic period in the second semester. 

“In the second semester, meron tayong college week. Meron din tayong finals as well as our thesis. So it's really a help, a great help, ang [observation] of Mental Health Awareness Week,” Modale stated.

BS Psychology’s commitment to promoting mental health

Prior to the opening of the program, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (VCAA), Mishell D. Lawas, explained the rationale behind offering it in an interview with Bagwis dated February 28, 2025.

She explained that the BS Psychology program aims to address the university's need for professionals to aid in the implementation of national mandates concerning mental health, as well as act as a feeder program for the MSU College of Medicine.

"So 'yun 'yung isang reason dyan-para ma-support natin ang ating [Office of Guidance and Counseling] when it comes to the implementation of the mental health awareness. Para matutukan talaga natin 'yung psychological needs ng ating mga estudyante," VCAA Lawas exaplained.

Prof. Doce reaffirmed the Department of Psychology’s commitment to this direction, citing the necessity to expose and train the students in counseling and reach out to the community. 

“With that training, we expect our students to take an active role in somehow introducing changes. If you call it transformation of the whole community into understanding what really behavior is all about. With that, we can also address difficulties that everyone may encounter and somehow give hope that there is actually an answer to all these questions or probably problems that they are experiencing” Prof. Doce remarked.  

Plans for mantal health interventions in MSU-GenSan

Prof. Doce relayed that they are exploring ways to enhance their relevance by integrating interdisciplinary collaboration, addressing pressing student concerns such as mental health, and considering culturally sensitive approaches in their initiatives.

“We can partner actually with other disciplines like sociology. We also take into consideration social issues that we have. In particular, there is a rising trend now in MSU of suicide. And so, probably we can craft a program that would address this particular problem” Prof. Doce said.

Moreover, they also intend to take an active part in assisting students facing academic difficulties among other issues that confront students, such as social and emotional challenges. 

“We have partners din, like the guidance office. But we take primary responsibility and primary role in trying to help students and even the whole community alike in terms of having a happy and successful life,” she stated.

In addition, Prof. Doce revealed a plan to incorporate cultural perspectives, specifically the tribe people in the intervention that they may craft, which, according to her, means delving into traditional healing and recovery, coupled with the medical approach.