Driven by their shared mission to promote mental health and well-being, the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) has partnered with the Manila Doctors Hospital (MDH) to provide accessible psychological healthcare services to students, faculty members, and the wider school community.
Founded in 1956, Manila Doctors Hospital is a premier private tertiary hospital owned by Manila Medical Services, Inc., as the healthcare affiliate of Metrobank Foundation, Inc.
De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) vice president for Lasallian Mission and Student Life (LMSL) Maria Veronica ‘Nicky’ Perez
The two institutions formalized their alliance through a ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) led by Maria Veronica “Nicky” Perez, Benilde vice president for Lasallian Mission and Student Life (LMSL), and El Anelio “Neil” Barnachea, RGC, Benilde Well-Being Center (BWC) director. They were joined by Karl Aaron Dimaano, Manila Medical Services, Inc. president, and James Roy Pascual, finance director.
Through this collaboration, spearheaded by Benilde’s Center for Partnership Advancement (CPA), Manila Doctors Hospital will provide reliable in-person and online psychological and psychiatric services to students, faculty, and employees referred by the medical professionals of the college. This likewise covers discounted psychotherapy sessions and prescriptions.
Dimaano noted the cooperation arrives at a time when safety, mental health, and overall well-being for the youth require greater attention.
“The modern life challenges brought about by social media, the growing mental health concerns, and the incidents of violence in schools lately—these are just some of the realities which remind us of the importance of having a safe structure that allows our young people to access early intervention, professional care, and a strong system of support.”
Dimaano likewise highlighted that it is a shared responsibility of DLS-CSB and MDH to ensure support is accessible when it is needed most.
“We look forward to working closely with the management of Benilde to strengthen access to care, promote mental health education, and respond to the evolving needs of our young people so they can continue to focus on the best opportunity every parent hopes to give their children—a good education,” he concluded.
De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) Benilde Well-Being Center (BWC) director El Anelio ‘Neil’ Barnachea
Barnachea noted the partnership reflects the expansion of the boundaries of how they protect, support, and uplift students.
“For many years, schools and hospitals seemed to operate in separate spheres,” he said. “The school was where children came to learn; the hospital was where they went when they were sick. But we know that a student’s life cannot be completely divided into boxes.”
“The emotional weight, the anxiety, and the silent mental health battles our young people face do not vanish when they walk through the school gates,” he added. “They carry those burdens into the classrooms, into the hallways, and into their futures.”
Barnachea highlighted BWC has always been on the front lines of this crisis, with its counselors looking into the eyes of the learners who are overwhelmed by academic pressure, social anxieties, stress, and depression, among others.
He noted that by linking BWC directly with hospital professionals, the college creates a proactive, seamless, and unbreakable safety net.
“This means that a student struggling with severe anxiety or depression does not just get a temporary solution; they get an immediate response or coordinated pathway to clinical care, therapy, and specialized resources,” he explained.
