UP LAW must not only lead the country in the making of great lawyers, but in ensuring that these lawyers have the mental fortitude to withstand the psychological weight of lawyering. The College must, by example, show that it is possible to prepare students for the bar exams, while also preparing them for life as a lawyer, as their client’s pillar of strength.

Towards this end the UP LAW Mental Wellness Committee held a talk in the Learning Commons on October 18, 2019. Dubbed “#HappyReactsOnly,” the talk gave due focus to the effects of social media on a student’s mental health. Invited as main speaker was Dr. Anselmo Tronco, none other than Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at the Philippine General Hospital. He lauded the College for being the first law school to give distinct focus to its students’ mental health. The takeaway from his talk was that replacement — by social media — of face-to-face conversations and communities undermines one’s health. The good doctor offered suggestions to prevent and manage alienation through use of these media. Among others, he recommended use of such media to 3 hours a day, at most.

In her opening remarks, Professor Gabby Concepcion spoke of the culture of compassion the College wishes to introduce in helping law students navigate their years of study in the College of Law in contrast to the impersonal faculty-student divide that has pervaded through the years. Dean Fides Cordero-Tan appealed to the faculty to fully participate in the holistic mentoring of their students without, however, compromising the standards of the College. She intimated that UP Law will have a psycho-therapist in residence to provide a necessary service mental wellness of the College.

Listen to the snippets below:

Video_01: Opening Remarks of Atty. Gaby Concepcion.

Video_02: Lecture of Dr. Anselmo Tronco

Video_03: Closing Remarks of Dean Fides C. Cordero-Tan