Angara boosts school mental health programs with joint caravan

MANILA, Philippines — Education Secretary Sonny Angara led the expansion of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) nationwide mental health and well-being initiatives, coinciding with the nationwide observance of Mental Health Awareness Month and National School Safety Week.

The initiative featured a Mental Health Caravan held at Marikina Elementary School, organized in collaboration with the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) and key advocacy partners, along with the mass oath-taking in Makati City of 339 newly appointed School Counselor Associates (SCAs) in the National Capital Region (NCR).

In line with the directive of President Marcos, the appointment of the SCAs addresses an urgent need to bolster school safety and well-being and respond to challenges such as bullying.

During the oath-taking ceremony, Secretary Angara emphasized that creating safe, supportive learning environments requires both physical security measures and compassionate mental health care.

“Our goal is not only to ensure that our schools are safe, but also loving, like a second home and a second family to our children, many of whom come from far from ideal family situations,” Angara said.

Angara reminded the new SCAs of the profound impact of their mission, urging them to maintain an approachable presence rooted in active listening.

“I would like to thank you for taking up the challenge to serve our youth. With your help, our youth are in need of proper guidance, direction, maybe a sense of mission, and something to hope for,” Angara added. “As President Bongbong Marcos has said, this is one of the biggest challenges facing our country today and we must all work together to address it.”

Established under Republic Act No. 12080, or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act, the newly created School Counselor Associate I position serves as a vital mechanism to bridge the country’s shortage of guidance professionals while strengthening psychosocial support systems in public schools.

Operating under the supervision of School Counselors, SCAs will assist in learner profiling, initial assessments, psychosocial support, career guidance, and referral pathways for learners, families, and school personnel.

To expedite deployment, DepEd compressed the recruitment and hiring timeline for SCAs to just 36 days. To date, 5,445 out of 10,000 authorized SCA positions have already been filled nationwide.

The 339 newly appointed SCAs will be deployed across all Schools Division Offices in the National Capital Region. The oath-taking ceremony was also attended by 36 incumbent guidance counselors.

Held in partnership with NCMH, MindNation, SEAMEO Innotech, the Psychological Association of the Philippines, the Philippine Psychiatric Association, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and Pocari Sweat, the Mental Health Caravan featured interactive booths and specialized learning sessions for learners, parents, and school staff.

For learners, a session, “Building Resilience for a Healthier YOUth” facilitated by the NCMH equipped student leaders and peer navigators with practical skills for emotional resilience, stress management, coping mechanisms, and anti-bullying strategies. For parents, the Philippine Psychiatric Association led the “P.A.C.T.-Parents and Classrooms Together” module, which focused on identifying forms of campus violence, cyberbullying, and safety threats while strengthening open communication at home.

Teachers and non-teaching personnel participated in the “Mental Health First Aid Foundation” workshop organized alongside MindNation, which introduced workplace mental health frameworks and peer support strategies. Meanwhile, incumbent Guidance Counselors participated in a session on guidelines, roles and responsibilities, and procedures in the delivery of mental health and guidance services in schools.

These measures form part of DepEd’s broader mandate under DepEd Order No. 06, s. 2026, or the Guidelines on Ensuring a Safe and Motivating Learning Environment. The policy combines physical safety upgrades, such as perimeter security and CCTV coverage, with peer support programs and dedicated referral helplines to cultivate overall learner well-being. /cb