MANILA, PHILIPPINES — November 10, 2026 — Filipino government employees have emerged as the strongest-performing occupational group in a new nationwide mental health survey, while domestic helpers, hotel workers and restaurant employees recorded some of the lowest scores, exposing a troubling divide in the psychological well-being of the Philippine workforce.
But even the country’s highest-ranked industry failed to reach what researchers consider an optimal mental health score.
According to the latest TELUS Health Mental Health Index, public administration, defense and social security workers recorded an average score of 68 out of 100, well above the national average of 61.6.
At the opposite end, domestic and household workers registered just 55.3, followed by accommodation and food-service employees at 56.
Workers in arts, entertainment and recreation recorded 56.8, while the country’s economically important business process outsourcing and contact center sector also fell below the national average, scoring 59.3.
The findings suggest that psychological strain extends across both public and private employment, although its severity varies between industries.
More alarming, 82% of surveyed workers reported working while mentally or physically unwell at least once a week, while 77% worried that revealing a mental health problem could damage their careers.
For employers, the consequences could include lower productivity, higher absenteeism and reduced employee retention.
For workers, the results raise a more personal question: How can people protect their mental health when financial survival, family responsibilities and job security often take priority?
Government Workers Lead the Rankings — But Even They Fall Short
The TELUS Health survey found that public administration, defense and social security workers had the highest average mental health score at 68.
The figure was 6.4 points above the national average.
However, TELUS Health classifies index scores from 80 to 100 as optimal, 50 to 79 as strained, and 0 to 49 as distressed.
That means even the best-performing occupational category remained within the strained range.
The finding challenges any assumption that government employees are generally free from workplace stress.
Public-sector workers can face heavy workloads, public scrutiny, demanding schedules and pressure to deliver essential services.
In fact, an October 2026 study involving 572 Filipino civil servants examining experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic found substantial levels of psychological distress, anxiety and depressive symptoms among respondents.
That study covered a different population and period, so its results cannot be directly compared with the TELUS rankings.
Nevertheless, it reinforces an important distinction: ranking highest in a survey does not mean a group has no mental health concerns.
The TELUS survey also did not establish why government employees received higher scores.
Possible differences in employment conditions, financial security or workplace benefits require further research before they can be identified as explanations.
Some government institutions are already expanding workplace health services.
In related reporting, WWC ONE MEDIA examined LANDBANK’s initiative giving more than 12,000 employees access to round-the-clock medical consultations and mental health support.
Such programs illustrate one way employers can improve access to support, although they do not explain the overall survey ranking or establish the effectiveness of every workplace wellness initiative.
Domestic Helpers Record the Lowest Mental Health Score
Domestic and household employment ranked last among the surveyed industries, with a score of 55.3.
This occupational category includes workers who perform household services, although the survey results should not be interpreted as covering every domestic worker in the Philippines.
The finding draws attention to a workforce whose contribution is essential to many families but whose working conditions can receive limited public attention.
Domestic workers may encounter challenges involving working hours, compensation, rest periods, privacy and access to social protection.
For live-in workers, the separation between working time and personal time can become particularly difficult.
However, TELUS Health did not determine which particular workplace conditions caused the low score.
A separate 2026 study published in the Journal of Social Systems and Policy Analysis examined Filipino female domestic workers with histories of suicide attempts and identified factors including violence, marital difficulties and insufficient social support.
That specialized study focused on a much narrower, high-risk population and must not be treated as representative of all domestic workers.
Together, the research emphasizes the need to understand domestic workers’ specific circumstances rather than assume that all experience the same problems.
The Philippines already has legislation protecting domestic workers through Republic Act No. 10361, or the Domestic Workers Act.
The law establishes important employment protections, including provisions concerning wages, rest periods and social benefits.
But written protections must be implemented consistently if they are to improve workers’ lived experiences.
Hotel, Restaurant and Entertainment Workers Also Struggle
Employees in accommodation and food services recorded an index score of 56, while arts, entertainment and recreation workers scored 56.8.
Both categories were below the national average.
These industries frequently involve customer-facing responsibilities and schedules that may include evenings, weekends and holidays.
Some positions require extended periods of standing, rapid service delivery and frequent interaction with customers.
However, the TELUS survey did not establish that these conditions directly caused the lower scores.
The findings instead identify occupational groups that may warrant closer attention from employers, researchers and labor authorities.
For businesses, supporting employee well-being can involve more than offering occasional wellness seminars.
Workload management, predictable scheduling, adequate breaks, respectful supervision and access to confidential support may all be relevant.
The importance of workplace environments has also been explored in WWC ONE MEDIA’s report on the lasting psychological effects of toxic workplaces.
That report examined how prolonged mistreatment and workplace stress can sometimes affect employees even after they leave a difficult job.
The lesson for employers is that mental health support should address organizational conditions, not simply individual coping strategies.
Philippine BPO Workers Score Below the National Average
The Philippines’ business process outsourcing and contact center sector recorded a mental health score of 59.3.
That was 2.3 points below the national average.
The finding is significant because BPO services represent an important source of employment, export earnings and investment.
Many employees in the industry handle customer support, financial services, technical assistance and other internationally outsourced activities.
Some roles require night shifts or schedules aligned with overseas customers.
Others involve performance targets and demanding interactions with clients.
These conditions could be relevant to workplace well-being, but the TELUS survey did not establish that any single factor caused the sector’s below-average result.
The findings arrive as the BPO industry is also adapting to artificial intelligence and changing workforce requirements.
Employers will need to assess how new technologies, job responsibilities and work arrangements affect employee well-being.
For individual workers, concerns about job security and career advancement may overlap with broader financial pressures.
Mental Health Risks Have Increased Since 2022
The national Mental Health Index stood at 61.6 in the latest survey.
In 2022, the corresponding score was approximately 65.
The share of workers classified as facing high mental health risk also increased from 31% to 37%.
That represents a six-percentage-point rise.
These findings indicate that mental health risk has become more widespread within TELUS Health’s surveyed workforce.
However, the data should not be interpreted as evidence that 37% of all Filipino workers have a clinically diagnosed mental illness.
The index is a screening and well-being measure, not a nationwide psychiatric diagnostic assessment.
Its value lies in identifying patterns of distress and potential needs for support.
Other research reinforces the broader concern.
The Social Weather Stations survey conducted from September 21 to 27, 2026 found that 38% of Filipino adults rated their mental health as fair, while 2% described it as poor.
The SWS findings measure self-rated mental health among adults, whereas TELUS focuses on workers using a different scoring methodology.
Although their figures cannot be directly compared, both indicate that psychological well-being remains a significant public concern.
Financial Problems Are Taking a Heavy Toll on Filipino Workers
One of the strongest findings in the TELUS report concerns money.
Half of respondents identified personal finances as their biggest source of stress.
Meanwhile, 54% said they lacked emergency savings sufficient to cover basic needs.
The contrast between workers with and without savings was striking.
Employees without emergency savings recorded an average mental health score of 55.5.
Those who had emergency savings scored 69.
That is a gap of 13.5 points.
Paula Allen, TELUS Health’s Global Leader of Research and Insights, emphasized that financial insecurity can leave workers continuously worried about emergencies and family responsibilities.
For employees living from one payday to the next, unexpected medical expenses, household emergencies and interruptions to income can create additional strain.
The relationship is important, but it does not establish that building savings alone will resolve mental health difficulties.
Income security, working conditions, family circumstances and access to healthcare may all contribute.
Nevertheless, the results suggest that employers should consider financial well-being as part of broader workplace support.
Programs involving fair compensation, financial education and emergency assistance may help address some pressures, depending on their design and accessibility.
Eight in Ten Employees Keep Working Even When Unwell
Perhaps the most striking finding is that 82% of respondents reported working while mentally or physically unwell at least once per week.
The behavior is often described as presenteeism.
Unlike absenteeism, when an employee is away from work, presenteeism occurs when someone continues working despite being unwell and is less able to perform effectively.
The TELUS report estimated that workers who frequently ended their day exhausted lost the equivalent of 49.5 productive working days annually.
Those who did not regularly experience exhaustion lost an estimated 29.7 days.
That is a difference of 19.8 days.
These estimates combine the effects of absence and reduced productivity while working.
They do not mean that exhausted workers literally took almost 50 days of leave.
The productivity calculations are based on a standard 240-day working year and should be treated as model-based estimates rather than direct measurements of each employee’s performance.
Still, the findings highlight the commercial consequences of leaving employee strain unaddressed.
More than half of workers, or 55%, also reported that their mental health negatively affected productivity.
For employers, this suggests that attendance figures alone may fail to capture the full consequences of workplace stress.
Seventy-Seven Percent Fear Speaking Up About Mental Health
A major barrier to workplace support is the fear of negative career consequences.
According to TELUS Health, 77% of workers worried that disclosing a mental health issue could limit their professional opportunities.
Separately, 29% avoided seeking support because they feared being judged.
These figures suggest that simply making mental health services available may not be enough.
Employees must also believe those services are confidential and that seeking help will not result in unfair treatment.
The Institute for Labor Studies, under the Department of Labor and Employment, has emphasized the importance of stronger workplace mental health policies and supportive organizational cultures.
Under Republic Act No. 11036, the Philippine Mental Health Act, the country recognizes protections against mental health-related discrimination.
Workplace mental health policies must also reflect applicable labor requirements.
But implementation matters.
Workers need clear information about available services, confidentiality arrangements and how to report inappropriate conduct.
Managers also require appropriate training to respond constructively when employees disclose difficulties.
The goal should be to make support accessible without pressuring employees to reveal private medical information unnecessarily.
Younger Workers Face Greater Stress and Exhaustion
The survey identified additional concerns among younger employees.
Workers under 40 were twice as likely as employees over 50 to report constant stress.
They were also 70% more likely to frequently finish their workday feeling exhausted.
The findings suggest that age and career stage may influence how workers experience financial and workplace pressures.
Younger employees may be managing career development, family responsibilities, housing expenses and changing employment expectations.
However, those explanations should be treated as possible contributing factors rather than causes established by the survey.
Research also cautions against assuming that every younger worker experiencing stress is clinically burned out.
As WWC ONE MEDIA explored in its analysis of Gen Z workplace stress and management challenges, exhaustion, adjustment difficulties and clinical mental health conditions are not interchangeable.
The World Health Organization describes burnout as an occupational phenomenon associated with chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.
It is not classified as a standalone medical disease.
For employers, understanding these distinctions can help avoid both minimizing serious concerns and incorrectly labeling ordinary workplace difficulties.
Heavy Workloads and Poor Work-Life Balance Add to the Pressure
The TELUS survey identified three leading sources of work-related stress:
- Heavy workloads — 21% of respondents.
- Poor work-life balance — 20%.
- Insufficient resources or support — 13%.
These findings point to challenges that employers may be able to address through changes in work design and management.
Reducing unnecessary administrative tasks, reviewing schedules and improving communication can support healthier working environments.
But practical changes are often more difficult than simply introducing a wellness initiative.
In some industries, high staffing requirements and round-the-clock operations make scheduling complicated.
In others, performance expectations or organizational cultures can discourage employees from taking breaks.
Public institutions are also recognizing the importance of protected recovery time.
In September, the Department of Education introduced a two-day wellness break for public school teachers.
As WWC ONE MEDIA reported on DepEd’s no-work wellness break, the policy sought to prevent meetings, training sessions and reporting requirements from consuming the designated rest period.
The initiative illustrates the importance of making wellness measures meaningful in practice.
However, occasional breaks alone cannot resolve chronic workload problems or inadequate workplace resources.
Mental Health Support Remains Difficult to Access
Access to professional care is another major obstacle.
The TELUS report found that 52% of workers identified cost as a barrier to receiving mental health support.
Another 32% were uncertain about the type of care they needed.
Twenty-nine percent did not know where to seek help.
The findings suggest that financial affordability and information gaps can prevent employees from obtaining appropriate assistance.
The Philippines also faces broader challenges involving the availability and distribution of mental health professionals.
In September 2026, the Department of Health acknowledged difficulties attracting and retaining psychiatrists and psychologists, pointing partly to compensation concerns.
This shortage can complicate access to services, particularly outside major urban centers.
Employers can help by providing clear referrals, confidential counseling programs and information about available healthcare benefits.
But mental health care should not be treated as the responsibility of employers alone.
Public health investment, professional training, community services and appropriate insurance coverage remain important.
What Companies and Government Agencies Should Do Next
The findings suggest that Filipino employers need a more comprehensive response to workplace mental health.
The priority should be improving working conditions while ensuring employees can obtain professional support when needed.
Employers can review workload expectations, improve scheduling practices, train managers and communicate available mental health services clearly.
They can also examine whether compensation structures and financial-support programs adequately reflect employees’ needs.
For domestic workers, attention should include compliance with labor protections and reasonable opportunities for rest.
For service employees, predictable scheduling and sufficient resources may help address operational pressures.
For public institutions, high relative survey scores should not become a reason to neglect employee well-being.
The national results show that even the strongest-performing sectors have room for improvement.
Workplace mental health also requires respect for privacy.
Employees should be able to ask for assistance without facing unnecessary disclosure demands or discrimination.
The success of any initiative should be measured through actual employee experiences and outcomes, not merely the number of wellness programs announced.
The Bigger Picture: A Workforce That Keeps Showing Up Despite Growing Pressure
The TELUS Health Mental Health Index reveals a Philippine workforce under significant psychological and financial strain.
Government workers recorded the highest score at 68, while domestic and household employees ranked lowest at 55.3.
Yet no industry reached the index’s optimal range.
More than half of workers lacked emergency savings.
Almost eight in ten feared that disclosing mental health concerns could damage their careers.
And 82% continued working while mentally or physically unwell at least once a week.
The findings challenge a common assumption that maintaining attendance necessarily means employees are coping well.
They also raise difficult questions about how much responsibility employers and policymakers should take for improving working conditions.
Mental health is influenced by many factors beyond employment, and an industry ranking cannot explain every individual’s experience.
But the survey demonstrates that financial insecurity, exhaustion and limited access to support are widespread enough to warrant serious attention.
Government employees may rank highest and domestic workers lowest in the latest Philippine mental health survey. But when even the best-performing industry remains below the optimal threshold and millions of Filipino workers continue pushing through exhaustion, could the country’s next major labor challenge be protecting the people who keep its economy running?
