The Baguio City Council has approved on second reading and for publication a proposed ordinance that will require business establishments, government offices, and public places across the city to prominently display mental health and substance abuse hotline numbers to provide people in crisis with immediate access to professional help and intervention.
The proposed measure covers all commercial, industrial, and business establishments operating in Baguio City including malls, retail stores, restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels, gyms, transient and boarding houses, educational institutions, corporate offices, business process outsourcing companies, and public utility transport terminals. It also covers local and national government offices and agencies, barangay halls and multipurpose buildings, as well as public places managed by the City Government such as parks, waiting sheds, overpasses, and public markets and talipapas.
Under the proposal, covered establishments and government offices will be required to install at least two hotline signages in strategic locations where they can easily be seen by people who may be seeking privacy or experiencing distress. These will include entrances and exits of comfort rooms and fitting rooms, stairwells, fire exits, emergency routes, roof decks, balconies and elevated viewing areas, as well as main entrances, waiting areas, lobbies, front desks, customer service counters, cashier areas, elevators and hallways.
Workplaces will also be required to post the information on bulletin boards, employee break rooms, staff pantries, and clock-in and clock-out stations.
Meanwhile, government offices and public places will display the signages in areas such as government office lobbies, barangay facilities, public parks, waiting sheds and public markets.
The proposed ordinance requires the signages to be made of durable, water-resistant materials, with a minimum size of A4 for large establishments and 5 by 7 inches for smaller stalls or kiosks. The City Health Services Office (CHSO) and Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) may provide a standardized template, while establishments are encouraged to include QR codes that will allow users to access the hotline information digitally.
The CHSO-Mental Health and Substance Use Unit (MHSU) will serve as the primary technical office responsible for developing the official signage template and ensuring that the hotline information remains updated. The office will also include appropriate numbers for mental health crisis intervention, drug rehabilitation, alcohol dependency and smoking cessation services.
The Public Information Office will conduct information and education activities on the ordinance, while the BPLO will incorporate compliance monitoring into its routine inspections of business establishments.
The City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) will oversee the posting and maintenance of the required signages in city parks and plazas, while the General Services Office (GSO) and concerned barangays will ensure compliance in city-owned buildings, government offices and barangay facilities.
For businesses, compliance will be integrated into the business permit process. Establishments will be required to submit photographic proof showing that the prescribed signages have been posted as part of the requirements for the issuance or annual renewal of their Mayor’s Business Permit. Establishments found without the required signages will first receive a 30-day notice to comply. Failure to correct the deficiency within the prescribed period could result in the withholding of permit renewal until compliance is secured.
Government offices, national agencies operating in the city and barangay facilities will likewise be given 30 days from the effectivity of the ordinance to install the required signages.
The proposal seeks to complement Ordinance 29-2021, as amended by Ordinance 06-2025, which established the City’s Mental Health Care and Developmental Wellness Program. It cites data from the CHSO-MHSU showing 47 deaths by suicide in 2025, nearly double the 24 cases recorded in 2024, as one of the reasons for strengthening public access to mental health crisis information.
The proposed ordinance will undergo public consultations and city council deliberations as the next legislative steps. Baguio City – Sangguniang Panlungsod
