By: SONIA A. LABRADOR – CUPANG INTEGRATED SCHOOL
The pandemic exposed many vulnerabilities in today’s society. In the education system, one of the crises that manifested the most was the inability to attend to the children’s mental and emotional necessities. It’s ironic.
The surge in mental health issues in children during the pandemic overwhelmed the capacity of the schools to handle such cases. It made the department acknowledge the scarcity of guidance counselors. In 2020, only 20% of the 5,398 authorized positions for guidance counselors were filled. Therefore, there were only 1,096 active counselors to attend to around 20 million students in 2020 (Magsambol & Chi, 2020). This created a massive imbalance in numbers wherein there had to be a counselor for every 500 students, almost double the global ideal ratio of 1:250. According to DepEd Undersecretary Jesus Mateo, the problem is the lack of work progression in guidance counseling, leaving those employed stuck in a low salary grade of SG 11, which was about 22,316 pesos. In addition, Francis Subong, the public relations officer of the Philippine Guidance and Counseling Association, claimed that no one wanted to settle for a “dead-end” job.
This passivity persisted until 2023, when the cases of violence within school premises resulting in casualties began to increase again. In January 2023, a student was killed by a fellow student by stabbing inside the campus in Quezon City. A week later, a student accidentally shot himself after bringing a gun inside the school in Bulacan. According to DepEd Spokesperson Michael Poa, these could be attributed to mental health issues, hence, the problem with the lack of guidance counselors in schools (Cordero, 2023). Although it was unfortunate that such incidents had to happen to bring the issue back into the limelight, initiatives to create a progressive line of work for mental health professionals in the education system were advanced. In September of the same year, Senate Bill 2200, known as the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-being Promotion Act, was put into action to attract eligible professionals to take up jobs in the education sector to aid the students’ mental health concerns. Under the bill, a new set of positions in the department was opened with progressive salaries as well. These would be called Mental Health Specialists I to III, replacing the old Guidance Counselors I to III positions, with salary grades 16 to 20. In addition, Mental Health Specialists IV and V with salary grades 22 and 24 were being eyed to be implemented to ensure career progression (Chi, 2023). According to the senate website, the bill was on its third reading last September 12, 2023, and has been pending ever since.
The role of a mental health specialist has always been crucial. According to Marie Diane Monsada of the Department of Behavioral Sciences at the University of the Philippines Manila, the concept of mental health spans way beyond illnesses and disorders. It has to be viewed holistically, including social interaction, communication skills, and the ability to process and express emotions. Therefore, despite the efforts of the department to train teachers to provide basic mental support to students, there should also be a professional in the field of psychology in the schools, one who can aid the students throughout their learning journey. Incorporating the said professionals in the education system would gradually reduce the stigma regarding consulting with psychiatrists and psychologists as they were normalized in schools. With that, although the clinical diagnosis and treatment of any mental disorder is beyond the scope of Senate Bill 2200, mental health specialists may refer the students to third-party clinics with a strong support group starting from their families.
It is indeed ironic how the country has become increasingly aware of the creeping dangers of mental illnesses yet lacks proactive measures to prevent them. Facts and data have shown the increasing need for strong mental support in schools for decades. With the creation of Senate Bill 2200, the government must strike the iron while it’s hot, and pass laws that support its cause in hopes that there wouldn’t have to be another unfortunate incident to rekindle the movement of creating a society that understands every child.