DepEd eyes mental health offices in schools
Credit to Author: Neil Jayson Servallos| Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0800
MANILA, Philippines — Mental health and well-being offices will be established in high-burden areas after Education Secretary Sonny Angara yesterday signed the implementing rules and regulations of the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act.
The measure seeks to improve mental health facilities and services in schools nationwide.
Led by a schools division counselor, the office will prioritize learners’ well-being and create an enabling learning environment.
The Department of Education is tasked with ensuring that there is at least one counselor per school, or multiple associates in large schools. DepEd will also build care centers.
These mechanisms will take pressure off school leaders and prevent cases of bullying, Angara said, citing the case of Rizal High School (RHS) in Pasig where student-led violence recently made headlines.
RHS principal Richard Santos said reforms for mental health and anti-bullying in schools are welcome developments.
About 382 bullying cases have been recorded at RHS, Santos said.
Of the number, 48 resulted in physical injuries, he noted.
“The sheer scale of these incidents is compounded by the fact that RHS has only one guidance counselor to cater to a student population of 12,584,” Santos said.
The Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 is being reviewed by the DepEd and the Second Congressional Commission on Education.
Anti-bullying and rights-based education will be integrated by the DepEd into the curriculum to address underreported bullying cases.
An anti-bullying policy and code of conduct will also be included in the learner’s handbook.
Social and behavior change materials will be distributed nationwide to reinforce awareness and advocacy against bullying.
Intervention mechanisms are being enhanced by the DepEd’s Learner Rights and Protection Division to ensure faster case resolution and better support systems.
The agency will localize the TeleSafe Contact Center Helpline to adapt to the language, context and cultural approach of each region.
About 522 bullying cases were recorded by the helpline from November 2022 to February this year, with physical altercations being the most common form of conflict among students.