The national government plans to allocate P802 million in the proposed 2027 national budget to hire 2,021 new guidance counselors for public elementary and high schools nationwide, aiming to strengthen mental health support following a surge in campus violence.
House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Representative Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan announced the initiative, emphasizing the urgency of bolstering the Department of Education’s (DepEd) student support system. Under the proposed plan, the fresh funding will create 1,800 new School Counselor Associate 1 positions and 221 School Division Counselor positions across public school districts.
Libanan highlighted that guidance counselors serve as a critical first line of defense in identifying early warning signs among struggling students before emotional or psychological distress escalates into tragedy. He noted that early intervention is vital in addressing student mental health concerns, bullying and threats of violence.
The government’s push to expand counseling personnel comes after two deadly school shooting incidents occurred within two months. On June 22, two armed students opened fire at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, killing three classmates and injuring 20 others. On August 18, a 14-year-old student fatally shot a classmate at Ateneo de Zamboanga University in Zamboanga City before taking his own life in an attack partially livestreamed via a body-worn camera.
Addressing these tragedies, Libanan stressed that safety strategies must extend beyond physical security to encompass emotional and psychological care. He also called on private elementary and high schools to increase their own investments in professional counseling services, emphasizing that student well-being remains a shared responsibility.