PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday signed into law Republic Act 12080 or the Basic Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act which strengthens and provides comprehensive mental health programs in all public and private schools to promote awareness and prevent suicide among students.
With the new law, the President also approved the creation of new plantilla positions for school counselors in public schools which would help fill up more than 4,000 vacant positions.
“Today, we renew our promise to every Filipino: that they will not only succeed academically but thrive holistically. Together, we envision a Philippines where mental health is prioritized alongside education, fostering a generation equipped to lead with resilience, compassion, and with purpose,” Marcos said in his speech during ceremonies held in Malacanang.
Apart from ensuring the students’ emotional and mental health it also aims to ensure that teachers are equally emotionally and mentally “equipped to excel” amid modern challenges.
“When our learners and school personnel are mentally healthy, academic performance improves, absenteeism decreases, and a culture of compassion and understanding flourishes. Beyond being a safeguard to our youth and school personnel, this law is also an investment in the intellectual, emotional, and social future and development of our nation,” the President said.
Marcos said it also reduces economic and social costs due to mental health, which is expected to lead to $16 trillion losses by 20230 globally.
“Locally, the toll is evident in decreased academic outcomes, burnout, and turnover rates among students and school personnel. This Act will help in reducing such losses, making our students more productive and ready to contribute to nation-building,” he said.
Under RA 12080, public and private schools are mandated to come up with comprehensive mental health programs and services for students as well as for out-of-school children in special cases to promote mental health awareness, address mental health concerns, and enhance suicide prevention efforts in schools.
These services include screening, evaluation, and monitoring of students’ mental well-being, as well as mental health first aid, crisis response, and referral systems.
The Department of Education (DepEd) is also tasked to ensure the establishment of Care Centers, formerly guidance and counseling offices, in all public schools and ensure their existence and maintenance in private schools.
It shall be headed by a school counselor and assisted by school counselor associates who will provide counseling and stress management workshops and implement programs that will help reduce stigma on mental health.
The Care Centers will serve as hubs for mental health services and ensure learners have access to tailored support systems.
Every school division office shall also have a Mental Health and Well-Being Office which will provide the framework for school-based mental health programs, review and approve their implementation, conduct regular visits to ensure effectiveness, and be responsible for training personnel to deliver mental health services to learners.
The law also creates plantilla positions to address the current gap of around 4,000 guidance counselors in public schools.
Education Undersecretary Wilfredo Cabral, in an ambush interview, said it also raises their monthly salaries to around P47,000 to P51,000 a month from about P28,000 monthly to make it at par with those in private institutions.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM), in consultation with DepEd and the Civil Service Commission (CSC), is tasked to oversee the creation of the new plantilla positions which include a School Counselor Associate I to V, School Counselor I to IV, and Schools Division Counselor.
Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said the law is a vital step toward ensuring that Filipino learners are academically equipped and mentally healthy.
DepEd data showed that during the 2023-2024 school year, 254 elementary and high school students committed suicide while 1,492 attempted to kill themselves.
Education Undersecretary Wilfredo Cabral said among the contributing factors they are looking at are the influence of social media, problems in the family, and abuse, among others.
