LIST: Where to find free and low-cost mental health services in the Philippines
Seeking help for your mental health shouldn't be a financial burden—nor a lonely journey.
While conversations surrounding mental health are becoming more open today, accessing help remains a challenge. High treatment costs, lingering social stigma, and a critical shortage of mental health professionals leave far too many feeling stranded. But if you are struggling, don't lose hope—getting the care you deserve is still possible without breaking the bank.
In observance of Suicide Prevention Month in September and National Mental Health Month in October (under Proclamation No. 452, s. 1994), we are reminded of the power of checking in on ourselves and each other.
To help you or someone you know take that next step, several government bodies, non-profit organizations, and community programs offer free or low-cost psychological first aid, psychiatric support, and tele-counseling year-round.
Here is a list of institutions offering free or low-cost mental health care:
National Center for Mental Health Outpatient Section
If you or a loved one are seeking accessible mental health support, the National Center for Mental Health Outpatient Section is here to help. As the country's primary government facility, NCMH offers free and low-cost care—including psychiatric evaluations, ongoing psychotherapy, medication management, and psychological assessments—so you don't have to navigate life's challenges alone.
Located at Pavilion 2 along Nueve de Pebrero Street in Mandaluyong City, their team welcomes in-person visits and virtual consultations.
To secure an appointment, patients must register online. For face-to-face visits, use the NCMH OPD E-Schedule Link, while online consultations require signing up through the NCMH E-Konsulta Link. Note that the online consultation form opens every working day at 8 a.m. and closes immediately once daily slots are filled.
If you are a first-time visitor, bring a valid government ID and relevant medical history records.
For general inquiries and local extensions, you can call their main trunk line at (02) 8531-9001 (Local 301/304 for PACD), reach their Emergency Section direct line at (02) 8531-5275, email pacd@ncmh.gov.ph or mcc@ncmh.gov.ph, and check updates on their official Facebook page.
UP Philippine General Hospital Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
UP-PGH's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine offers both free and paid psychiatric consultations to fit different patient needs.
For charity consultations, patients must register online from Monday to Friday at pghopd.up.edu.ph to schedule an appointment at PGH OPD Room 301 and wait for confirmation.
For paid private consultations, patients can book a schedule at the Neuropsychiatry Clinic inside the PGH Faculty of Medical Arts Building (FMAB) by calling (02) 8708-0000 local 121 from Monday to Friday. Additional information can be viewed on the UP-PGH Official Website or via its official Facebook page.
Ateneo Bulatao Center
The Ateneo Bulatao Center for Psychological Services offers Brief Psychological Services—a welcoming space providing one to two free online sessions of counseling and psychological first aid. BPS focuses on immediate emotional processing and practical coping strategies to help you navigate pressing concerns in the moment. Take note, however, it is not long-term psychotherapy nor intended for emergency care.
Interested individuals can sign up directly via the online registration form.
For inquiries regarding their paid long-term psychotherapy services, you can email bulataocenter.ls@ateneo.edu, or visit and message the Ateneo Bulatao Facebook Page for more details.
UST Guidance and Counseling Center
The guidance and counceling center at the University of Sto. Tomas delivers accessible campus and clinical mental health resources, including counseling, psychotherapy, and trauma-informed assessment services.
Individuals can reach out to the center by emailing counseling.career.center@ust.edu.ph or psychtrauma@ust.edu.ph. They can also register for clinical appointments via online QR forms or connect via the official UST Guidance and Counseling Center Official Facebook Page.
It is located at Room 204 of the Health Service Building and the Ground Floor of the Thomas Aquinas Research Complex at UST in Sampaloc, Manila.
Caloocan City Calm Space Facility
At Caloocan City Calm Space Facility, they not only provide free professional mental health consultations and screenings, but holistic wellness sessions, too.
Free Mental Health Screening is conducted Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., alongside scheduled wellness activities such as sound healing, Tai Chi, and yoga.
Appointments and inquiries can be made by emailing calmspace2.chd@gmail.com or contacting their mobile lines at 0949-943-4669, 0949-963-6418, 0949-959-7897, or 0949-986-1907, or visit Calm Space Caloocan Official Facebook Page.
It is located on the 5th floor of the New Caloocan City Hall-South.
Philippine Mental Health Association, Inc.
The Philippine Mental Health Association, Inc. delivers psychological first aid and mental health screenings for individuals experiencing stress, grief, anxiety, and depression. On an outpatient basis, they provide comprehensive social, psychological, and psychiatric interventions for children, adolescents, and adults managing emotional, behavioral, or mental health conditions.
You can reach PMHA by calling (02) 8921-3957, connecting via the PMHA Support Chat Page or PMHA’s Official Facebook Page.
In Touch Community Services
If you are a student or an individual with a tight budget, visit In Touch Community Services.
They specialize in structured crisis care as a veteran non-profit volunteer organization in the Philippines. In Touch Community Services, which has been around for over 40 years, offers a dedicated 24/7 free emotional crisis hotline alongside professional online therapy and face-to-face counseling sessions at fees that can be adjusted based on your budget.
To book an appointment, clients can submit an online booking form via the In Touch Community Services Website or call their office at (+63 2) 8 893 1893, (+63) 917 863 1136 (Globe), or (+63) 998 841 0053 (Smart) and press 1. For immediate 24/7 emotional crisis support, their hotline numbers are (02) 8893-7603, 0917-800-1123 (Globe), and 0919-056-0709 (Smart).
Hopeline Philippines (Mind 360)
Hopeline Philippines (Mind 360) is a long-standing 24/7 suicide prevention and emotional crisis line in the Philippines. Managed by the New Day Recovery Center and operating as a flagship program of the Natasha Goulbourn Foundation, Hopeline offers immediate emotional relief and compassionate active listening over the phone.
Services are free and available 24/7 via Globe (0917-558-4673), Smart (0918-873-4673; toll-free at 2919 for Smart/Sun), and PLDT landline ((02) 8804-4673). Updates and mental health tips are posted on the Hopeline Philippines Facebook Page.
Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center
Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center Acute Psychiatric Unit is a national public hospital under the DOH Hospital System located along Sumulong Highway in Marikina City.
ARMMC offers outpatient psychiatric consultations, psychological testing, and emergency psychiatric accommodation. Services are provided to adult clients, accepting new patients with fees structured on a sliding scale, reduced/pro-bono rates, or PhilHealth coverage.
Outpatient consultations run Mondays to Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (excluding holidays). Inquiries and teleconsultations can be made by calling (02) 8941-5854 or (02) 8941-6289, visiting the ARMMC Official Website, or reaching out via the ARMMC Official Facebook Page.