Cover The Lunas Collective community encourages mental health support for Filipinos before reaching burnout
The Lunas Collective community encourages mental health support for Filipinos before reaching burnout
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Discover how Lunas Collective, a volunteer-powered online chat helpline and care space, is building a community that is resilient to burnout
“I came from a corporate background—no matter what was happening in the world or ourselves, we had to stay productive,” shares Ria Landingin, director of communications at Lunas Collective. “My house was for sleeping—most of my life happened at work.”
But during the pandemic of 2020, the world came to a screeching halt. It was then that Landingin carved an alternative path forward. “When I had the opportunity to work with Lunas, I started to ‘unlearn’ my biases, not just about building diverse teams, but also my perspective on productivity. In Lunas, we were mindful of how multifaceted our identities were. We kept communal care at the centre of each decision we made.”
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Above Lunas Collective community during Pride Month
Lunas Collective community during Pride Month
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Lunas Collective is a volunteer-powered chat helpline and care space, designed to address reproductive health concerns and gender-based violence. They also offer feminist care training and workshops, conducting extensive research to create sustainable change in their partner organisations and communities. “We’ve gained more structure over the past five years,” says Landingin. “In every stage, we honoured our need to find pleasure amid productivity and growth.”
But how exactly can we do this in our own lives? For Lunas Collective founder and director Sabrina Gacad, it’s important to ground your work in the principles you value most. At the time, Gacad was promoting sexual and reproductive health, camping out in front of the Congress building.
Despite the seriousness of the issues at hand, she and other activists connected over moments of laughter. “Yes, we’re doing something serious, but we’re enjoying each other’s company,” she shares. “I wanted to pivot from political activities, but I knew this was the kind of community I wanted to keep building.”
Above Lunas Collective at the Safe Spaces Now: Right the Ride Campaign in 2021
Lunas Collective at the Safe Spaces Now: Right the Ride Campaign in 2021
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Now, Gacad and the Lunas Collective team are finding ways to connect through both the milestones and mundanities of life. “We’ve distilled happiness into little emojis,” Gacad continues. “But true happiness is being in a good place that celebrates you for who you are. I know I’m speaking from a place of privilege, that I have access to that kind of imagination. I’m reminding myself how important it is to be patient in figuring out what intuitively brings me joy.”
Still, it can feel difficult to start listening to your intuition. Fears of being called ‘selfish’ and ‘inconsiderate’ are often thrown around. “Conflating selfishness with indulgence is a scam,” believes Gacad. “When women stop doing the care work, everything stops. Women’s work replenishes everyone else, leaving them with nothing for themselves.”
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Lunas Collective engaging in an artistic activity with their community
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At this point, it can feel easy to reach for small fixes, like an impulse purchase or a relaxing bath. While those small pockets of peace have their place, they don’t address the long-term issues. “We have to flip our priorities. Pleasure is not something we have to earn after countless sacrifices,” says Gacad. “It is life-giving and sustainable. Ask yourself, ‘what makes you feel fully alive in your body?’”
The process of discovering rest and pleasure doesn’t occur in a vacuum. Instead, it involves constant negotiations with the people around us. “Each choice comes with a trade-off in another area,” says Gacad. “We have to honour the mental effort of each choice. Only then can we ask: what choices can I make to access a full life, full of intimacy and joy?”
Before planning in-person activities, the Lunas Collective team thoroughly discusses maximising their time together. “Whether we’re trying to share some of our pain or engage in creative activities, we want to ensure it’s worth everyone’s time and effort. As much as possible, we design activities that cut through the awkward moments and create a safe place for people to share their innermost thoughts and experiences.”
Above Lunas Collective community
Lunas Collective community
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The Lunas Collective team recognises the value of these small, shared moments. They also recognise that their long-term goals—improving reproductive health and LGBTQIA+ rights in the Philippines—may be achieved by the next generation. But instead of feeling discouraged, the team urges each person to focus on building a community around them.
“There’s an intimacy you have direct access to with the people in your life,” says Gacad. “Creating spaces for people to open up, where people can freely set boundaries while staying connected in other ways, paves the way for the social change we want to see.”
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Credits
Photography: Lunas Collective
About
Celine first read Charlotte’s Web at the age of five–and she hasn’t stopped turning pages since. Her favourite authors are Mona Awad and Nat Cassidy. Besides writing for Tatler, she listens to BTS and spends time with her family.
Work
Celine took up secondary education with a major in English, graduating from De La Salle University in 2023. She advocates for female empowerment through creative expression by writing for Tatler Homes.
For story leads or inquiries, you may reach out to her via celine.dabao@tatlerasia.com.
