Workplace Stress Is Rising for Filipinos. What Can We Do About It?

For anyone with a steady paycheck, dealing with stress from work pressure is a familiar predicament. Throw in the never-ending battle to establish some semblance of work-life balance, including the daunting tasks of managing finances and planning for the future, and we all have to wonder how we get through day-to-day. Life is a labyrinth of concerns, and it’s definitely not an easy one to steer through.

In 2024, MindNation, an international mental health organization conducted an online survey among 13,158 Filipino employees. What they found is that levels of stress and anxiety among the Philippine workforce are at a record high, with 79 percent of Filipinos reporting mental health struggles, with feelings of stress, worry, sadness, and emptiness on the rise.

The number one reason given for stress and anxiety? Financial pressure, particularly in the struggle to make ends meet. This was followed by pressure to perform at work, physical health issues, family-related problems, the difficulties of juggling work and family responsibilities, and job insecurity. 

For Pinoys who time in and time out daily, all these issues hit close to home. 

Workforce woes—sound familiar?

Anna*, 38, a banker, shares that even though she was good with numbers, and respected at her job, she was burnt out from the work load and disillusioned from being talked out of chasing her dream of being a fashion designer by her bosses, who wanted her to stay with the company. 

It also seemed to her that she was always sick. “It was just one sickness after another, trips to the ER—all these chronic symptoms that I figured had to do with all the stress I was feeling at work,” Anna shares. 

The straw that broke the camel’s back was when she was asked, as a “favor naman,” to take on extra tasks for a project that she was not assigned to. This came after she had, for an entire year, unsuccessfully tried to negotiate her resignation, citing her desire to pursue her passion of fashion design. “That was it. I was just so fed up,” she says. She ended up putting her foot down, and announcing her resignation to her boss with finality three weeks later.

For James*, 27, on the other hand, resigning from his job in an events company was not what he wanted—in fact, the possibility of losing that job was what kept the young father of one up at night. “Mahirap yung events—nakakapagod,” he shares. “Tapos maliit yung sweldo. Eh, iniisip ko na, paano na yung pamilya ko? Baby pa lang anak ko, so hindi pa nakakatrabaho si misis, so sa akin lang talaga nakasalalay lahat.”

With the major life transitions of becoming a dad and the sole breadwinner, plus all of the added responsibilities of family life in the household, James would have long nights filled with worry, and was constantly weighed down with financial anxiety. 

The stress situation among Filipino employees: What’s going on?

The stories of Anna and James are not uncommon. They could, in fact, be you. 

“What we’re seeing is not just burnout. It’s a mental health crisis quietly unfolding inside homes and workplaces,” says Cat Triviño, co-founder and chief product and data officer of MindNation. “Despite growing awareness, many still struggle in silence, unsure of where to turn. It’s time we normalize proactive support systems for emotional well-being and make them accessible to all.”

For licensed psychologist Eiza Fusingan-Lapay, RPsy, chief well-being officer of MindNation, the reason for this crisis is multi-faceted. But for the average Filipino worker, like Anna or James, it all boils down to one thing—the struggle of the juggle, of multiple roles, that is. 

“In the Filipino context, workers are frequently juggling multiple roles,” Fusingan-Lapay explains. “We’re not just the worker, but we’re also the caregiver, and we’re also the breadwinner.” This takes a toll on the average employee.

Fusingan-Lapay also adds that the availability of mental health services provided by the government is sorely lacking in the country. Despite the enactment of the Mental Health Act, or Republic Act 11036, the stigma around the mental health conversation is still quite strong—and the actual services that Filipinos can avail of for mental health issues are far and few between. 

“There are insufficient mental health services provided by the government,” she explains. “In government hospitals, there are no mental health professionals. It’s not a service accessible to the public. It’s only accessible in a private setting.”

“And this kind of society, with a weak support system, can really lead to burnout and emotional exhaustion.”

Work-life balance is a myth. Try this instead.

The elusive work-life balance, Fusingan-Lapay says, is not realistic. She suggests using the term work-life integration instead. “This approach encourages blending responsibilities in a flexible, harmonious way,” she explains. It’s not about equally distributing weight on two sides of a scale, but about integrating everything in one, whole life.

Fusingan-Lapay also suggests finding some form of a support system—a trusted friend, family member, organization, or club—where you can open up in caring conversations that promote emotional release. “Kwento, or storytelling, is therapeutic,” she says. “It helps to strengthen social support, which is a mediator towards well-being.” 

Promoting any form of connection is also important. “Fears that are shared are more likely to diminish,” Fusingan-Lapay says wisely. Negative thoughts, she explains, become lighter when shared, so reach out to a colleague, neighbor, community member, or get professional help.

Fusingan-Lapay also underscores the importance of putting your body into a state of ease or relief, free from the shackles of stress. This, she says, can be achieved through good sleep, nutrition, movement, and relaxation. She also recommends activities like stretching, short walks, breathing exercises, meditation, or any activity that restores inner calm. 

Why support is needed from the entire community

MindNation’s study found that, to cope, Filipinos usually turn to religion and spirituality, as well as hobbies, exercise or physical activities. However, Fusingan-Lapay, together with Triviño and the rest of MindNation suggest that, instead of individual solutions, another crucial route to take would be involving the workplace community, and to teach longer term coping skills.

“To maintain mental wellness in the workplace setting, it’s really important to build that culture of connectedness, empathy, and collective responsibility,” Fusingan-Lapay shares. “It’s important that the workplace is a space where each person is not just a mere worker, but where our lives are interconnected. This could lead to even greater productivity and innovation in the workplace.”

The conversation around mental health here in the Philippines is only beginning, and clearly, there is still a long way to go. And it’s one where many voices need to be heard—whether it’s the workers who labor every day, the families they come home to, the co-workers they team up with in the office, or the mental health professionals who provide guidance and knowledge. Support to ensure that we’re healthy—not just physically, but mentally—comes in many forms and layers. One thing is clear, though: We can’t get there alone. 

*Name has been changed