He nearly gave up college. Now he's a summa cum laude graduate on a mission to improve the country's mental health system
Trigger warning: This article discusses suicide-related thoughts and mental health challenges.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Zyrus Vander Rico went through a mental health crisis that prompted his family to rush him to the hospital after he struggled with thoughts of self-harm. With the emergency room already overwhelmed, the hospital was unable to admit him, and he was sent home. This experience, he said, strengthened his passion to advocate for better mental health care in the Philippines.
Five years later, Zyrus was among this year's graduates of the University of the Philippines Diliman, earning his Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree as a summa cum laude.
The 23-year-old grew up in a humble household in Navotas, where his mother worked as a cashier and his father as a taxi driver.
His life took a different turn during his freshman year that led him to seek professional help. He said the COVID-19 pandemic, the shift to online learning, and the death of his father in 2021 severely impacted his mental health.
"It took a heavy toll on my mental health because bukod sa isolating na nga ang online classes, you're also dealing with grief," he told PhilSTAR L!fe.
Finding his way back
Zyrus admitted he was initially afraid to seek professional help, choosing instead to isolate and keep his struggles to himself.
"I became a hermit... I tried to keep it all to myself. Nag-isolate ako in my room for a week," he shared. When his family noticed something was wrong, they encouraged him to consult a mental health professional.
Realizing he needed time to heal, Zyrus decided to file for a leave of absence the following semester for "profound self-reflection." However, stepping away meant putting his Department of Science and Technology scholarship at risk due to its strict terms. Fortunately, he managed to appeal and retain his funding during this first leave.
He tried to return to his studies after one semester, but quickly realized he wasn't fully recovered.
"Nung una, I thought once mag-take ako ng medicine, okay na. Hindi pa pala," he said. "I needed to work on some of my grief through therapy and doon sa lingering loneliness na nararanasan ko because of online classes."
This second LOA, however, dealt a massive blow to his finances. While he had successfully appealed the first time, his follow-ups during the second leave were met with silence, forcing him to assume he had lost the funding entirely.
"Inisip ko na lang po na foregone na yung scholarship na 'yun. And to be honest, malaking blow siya sa akin kasi yung DOST yung nag-finance nung living expenses ko," he shared.
The financial strain hit the household hard; before the pandemic, his mother had been laid off from her job as a cashier, leaving his older sister as the family's sole breadwinner. Despite the setback, Zyrus used this second break to fully commit to his healing.
He also credited his healing to his family, who provided a safe space and encouraged him to seek professional help.
"Sobrang fortunate ko rin po kasi dahil sa family po namin, hindi kinahihiya 'yung mental health. Hindi sila something na dapat tinatago lang," he shared. "Inakay talaga nila ako to get the help that I need."
Recalling his experience at the Philippine General Hospital, which was overwhelmed with patients at the time, Zyrus said he was asked during triage to rate his condition. Since he had calmed down slightly by then, he rated it a six out of 10 before he was later sent home.
The experience became a turning point. It pushed him to focus on his recovery and reminded him why he wanted to finish his degree—to help improve the country's mental health system.
"Isa talaga ’yon sa nagtulak sa akin, pabalik sa UP, na sabi ko, kailangan may magbago sa sistema, kailangan mas makinig pa tayo, mas magkaroon pa tayo ng pag-unawa, ng pagbibigay ng kaukulang atensyon sa mental health," he said.
To catch up, he focused on excelling in his studies, building his skills through internships, and completing the units he missed during his leave of absence by taking midyear classes.
During the second-to-last year of his college studies, he received a scholarship from Project Inclusion Network, a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to persons with disabilities, after his sister found the opportunity online.
"Parte talaga ng advocacy nila as a scholarship program yung pag-capacitate and pag-empower sa mga persons with disabilities. Especially for me as someone na may mental health problem," he added.
Beyond personal healing
One of the defining moments that strengthened Zyrus' passion for psychology was his internship at UP PsycServ, where he saw firsthand that mental health is more than a concept discussed in classrooms.
"Doon mo makikita na 'yung mental health problem sa Pilipinas," he said. "And doon ma-fofoster yung empathy and compassion na meron ka para sa kapwa mo." He added that the organization also provided psychological and psychosocial support to fellow UP Diliman students through coaching sessions.
Looking back, Zyrus said graduating summa cum laude was only a "cherry on top." He shared that the "humbling experience" taught him that what mattered more was rediscovering his passion for psychology, embracing learning over perfection, and allowing himself to grow without the pressure of always being on top.
After graduation, he plans to get a job and save up, hoping to pursue medicine at the UP College of Medicine next year.
Though it was an amazing feat, Zyrus said he did not want his journey to be seen as a simple tale of recovery, especially since the challenges do not end after graduation for someone from a humble background.
"I don't wanna romanticize it as a mere story of pagbangon. Kasi, after nitong summa cum laude na honor, may kinabukasan tayong haharapin and it is truly uncertain. Kahit summa cum laude graduate ako, kahit UP graduate ako, the odds are still stacked against us. Coming from a humble background, kailangan ko maghanap ng opportunities to fund my medschool journey," he added.
For students quietly carrying their own struggles, he urged them to seek help and hold on to hope.
"Despite the silent battles that you're going through, know that there is help available, there is support available, and we're trying our best. We're building a safer space for the Filipino people, especially in terms of their mental health," he said.
"Ang mental health, hindi lang dapat siya ikinahihiya; hindi siya dapat ikinukubli. Mahalagang ma-normalize yung conversations about it. Mahalagang mag-foster tayo ng stronger support systems. Kasi hindi siya matatapos with ourselves alone. Yung self-care, it is only as good if the mental health care system is also doing its best to address the mental health concerns of the Filipino people," he added.