MANILA, Philippines ? The figures are not staggering but reports of soldiers committing suicide, going on a shooting rampage at the slightest provocation and even taking hostages over seemingly flimsy reasons have become regular fare in the news.

It's disturbing, at the least. But to say that the military organization is not doing anything to address the problem has no basis at all, Army psychiatrist Dr. Joel Enrico Anastacio said in an interview.

?There is an Armed Forces of the Philippines Mental Health Program. There are ongoing efforts to ensure that soldiers get the proper attention after going through a highly stressful experience, such as an encounter or ambuscades,? Anastacio explained.

?Weapons and tactics have been modernized, but one thing has not changed, and that's the soldier as a human being,? he added.

Shell-shocked and battle-fatigued are two of the most popular terms used to describe a soldier who has survived harrowing experiences that civilians may never be able to imagine. Prolonged separation from family, loneliness and financial problems are also known to trigger anxiety among soldiers, Anastacio explained.

A prime component of the AFP Mental Health Program is the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) given to soldiers after an ambush or an encounter. This consists of the soldier talking about what he just went through. Anastacio said reliving the experience provides catharsis for the soldier. It also gives the psychiatrist the data needed to evaluate the soldier's reaction and coping mechanisms.

Last year, Anastacio was among the psychiatrist who debriefed the Marines whose compatriots were beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan, Mindanao. Months ago, his team also debriefed Army soldiers who survived an encounter in Central Mindanao. He has also handled the emotional and psychological evaluation of Army officers who had been captured by the New People's Army and held as Prisoners of War for several months. In many instances, soldiers do get emotional as they relive the experience, Anastacio said.

?There was one who wanted to exact justice by going after the rebels who killed his buddy. Another was suffering from survivor?s guilt. Others simply asked if it was okay for men to cry,? he continued. ?We always tell them crying is a normal human emotion?it?s not ?unmilitary? to cry.?

?Meanwhile, others say that coping is easy, we just drink. But we tell them alcohol is a depressant. It can only lead to more depression. Severe depression can lead to suicide,? Anastacio added.

Unfortunately, the AFP still has to come up with hard statistics on military suicides and other negative behavior. Anastacio said that as of now, the only data the AFP has available are the number of admissions to the AFP Medical Center?s Ward 23, 24 and 25, the neuropsychiatric section. The admissions are classified under the general category of ?anxiety disorders.?

Because it?s a highly stressful profession, the AFP also imposes strict neuro-psychiatric tests for its applicants.

Anastacio said military recruits have to undergo both IQ (intelligence quotient) and EQ (emotional quotient) screening. An average IQ is a preferred, of course. But it has to be balanced with a healthy, favorable EQ. Many pass the IQ screening but fail in EQ, he noted.

Many applicants to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) also have the mistaken belief that they were rejected because they failed in the interview. ?The interview portion is like the recitation part in classroom learning. No one fails because one is weak in recitation,? Atanacio explained. But majority of those who ?fail? actually displayed personality traits not suitable for military service. A person who is fit for military duty must be able to ?withstand the rigors of combat duty,? Anastacio added.

Passing the ?personality test? upon entry to the service is just the first step. Along the way, soldiers must be constantly evaluated for physical, mental and emotional fitness. Enlisted personnel undergo a battery of tests every three years when they renew their enlistment. Officers take a physical examination annually, and a neuro-psychiatric evaluation test ?every six months,? Anastacio said.

?A lot of the soldiers? morale really depends on the state of mind of their commander. It?s the result of effective leadership,? he said.

Commanders, he said, should be able to spot signs of anxiety disorder among his troops. A module on this has been incorporated into the Command and General Staff College (CGSC), a special course for officers prior to their deployment as battalion commanders, Anastacio added.

To guide commanders and the troops on mental health, the AFP in 2002 began distributing a pocket-size handbook on mental health to units across the islands.

In the handbook, battle fatigue or combat stress is defined as a ?traumatic neuroses characterized by anxiety reactions and somatic disturbances brought about by long exposure to combat.? This can be temporary, or if allowed untreated, could lead to a mental breakdown.

Battle fatigue can be mild, moderate or severe, depending on the symptoms. Units with battle fatigue usually show a high incidence of AWOL, bickerings, fisticuffs, verbal abuse and misconduct. A soldier who has battle fatigue will display symptoms ranging from trembling to insomnia to the more serious reaction of ducking and trembling at the sound of an explosion.

Because of lack of information and the military?s tough image, soldiers initially resisted the program. Anastacio recalled that when they first went to Jolo in 2001, the troops asked them if they were offering loans. ?They asked if we were from AFPSLAI (the AFP Savings and Loans Association),? he said.

These days, he said the program has become well-appreciated. Even ?macho? commanders, the kind who see psychiatric evaluation as stuff for sissies, attend the sessions.

?What we?re doing is preventive. We are not treating them for a disorder, we are preventing them from getting afflicted with a disorder. It?s something that we already know about?a sound mind in a sound body,? Anastacio said.

As a TV documentary on mental health once said: The human body is a perfect machine. It can only go wrong in the head.