Actress and mental health advocate Maxene Magalona recently gave a talk on mental health awareness to members of the Philippine Air Force.
Reflecting on the experience, Maxene remarked: "There is nothing you can’t achieve if you truly, absolutely and wholeheartedly believe in yourself. Believe in yourself even if no one else does 🪽."
The event, held on July 14, was organized by the Philippine Air Force-Civil Military Operations Group, which invited Maxene to share her insights and personal experiences with soldiers. "The topic of discussion was, 'Behind The Smile: Understanding Hidden Struggles of Depression and Anxiety,'" Maxene relayed.
During her presentation, Maxene opened up about her own journey, offering practical techniques she uses to manage her mental well-being.
"I shared my personal experiences with them and the practical things that I do to manage my own mental health, guided them through a short meditation and sang one of my Dad’s songs, 'Kaleidoscope World' to uplift their spirits. In my speech, I mentioned how, 'God turned my pain into peace.' Because it's true. God is my healer 🥰," she relayed.
Maxene also expressed her gratitude that more government institutions are now prioritizing mental wellness. "More than anything, I am very happy and grateful that institutions such as the @pafcmog and even the National Bureau of Fire Protection @bfp_ncr are now implementing mental health and wellness programs for their personnel," she said. "Yes, soldiers and firefighters are expected to be strong, capable and resilient all the time. But they are also allowed to be vulnerable and honor their true emotions."
She went on to remind the public to support those who serve the country. "Let us be grateful for these real-life heroes who choose to get up every morning with the intention to serve. Because they give so much of themselves to our nation, we owe it to them to show our appreciation by cheering them on and thanking them for their heartfelt service. Let us also allow them to have moments of softness and vulnerability so that they don’t always have to feel so pressured to be strong all the time," she stated.
To those in active service, Maxene offered a heartfelt message: "If you are a soul-dier who is currently living a life of service and you are reading this—THANK YOU. We see you, we appreciate you and we honor you. God bless you 🫶🏼."
She also thanked the organizers for the opportunity to speak: "Special thanks to the Philippine Air Force-Civil Military Operations Group headed by their Group Commander Colonel Denis S Mangcoy PAF (MNSA) for having us. We hope our presentation helped your personnel understand their mental health better 🙏🏼."