A senior legislator urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to prioritize the hiring of school counselor associates in areas with high reported cases of bullying, as senators moved to strengthen student protection and school safety measures.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian made the call after the Civil Service Commission (CSC) released the qualification standards for School Counselor Associate 1, a position created under Republic Act No. 12080, or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act.
The position is meant to help address the shortage of guidance counselors and support the rollout of the School-Based Mental Health Program.
Citing a study by the Second Congressional Commission on Education, Gatchalian said the regions with the “worst bullying incidence” were Caraga, Mimaropa, Central Visayas, Bicol, and Ilocos.
“Sa pagsugpo natin sa bullying at karahasan sa mga paaralan, mahalagang unahin natin ang mga lugar na higit na nangangailangan ng tulong,” Gatchalian said.
Under the 2026 national budget, around P2 billion has been allocated for the hiring of 10,000 School Counselor Associate 1 personnel, he said.
Meanwhile, Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino said schools must remain places of learning and hope, not fear, as the Senate Committee on Basic Education began discussions on his proposed School Safety Act.
“Nandito po tayo dahil naniniwala tayo na ang mga paaralan ay dapat maging lugar ng pagkatuto at hindi ng takot. At lugar kung saan may kompiyansa ang mga bawat magulang na ligtas na makaka-uwi ang kanilang mga anak na pumasok sa paaralan,” Aquino said.
Aquino said the hearing sought to assess whether existing laws, policies, and programs remain enough to keep schools safe, and to identify reforms that could prevent tragedies similar to recent incidents in Tacloban City and Aurora province.
He cited the shooting incident in Tacloban City last month, where three people were killed and several others were wounded after two teenage students of San Jose National High School randomly shot their schoolmates. He also referred to the drowning incident involving two Ateneo de Manila cagers in Dipaculao town.
Aquino said at least 15 incidents involving school-related violence or class cancellations due to threats were recorded from June 16 to July 6.
He said the proposed measure has evolved from an anti-bullying bill into a broader school safety proposal seeking to strengthen security both inside and outside campuses.
The bill seeks to expand the use of CCTV and other appropriate security measures, improve emergency response protocols, enhance mental health and psychosocial support services, and strengthen coordination among schools, local government units, and law enforcement agencies.
Fr. Roberto Yap, SJ, president of Ateneo de Manila University, said the deaths of Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili left a deep void in the university community.
“Our work in supporting both families remains steadfast. We continue to reach out, remain in communication, and stand ready to provide the continuing care, assistance, and support today and in the days ahead,” Yap said before the committee.
Yap said Ateneo continues to provide pastoral, psychosocial, and other forms of support to surviving student athletes and other members of the university community directly affected by the tragedy.
“They not only lost their beloved teammates and friends and witnessed this tragedy firsthand, but many continue to endure cyberbullying, online harassment, and trial by publicity while grieving,” he said.
“We unequivocally condemn these acts because they only deepen the pain of those already grieving by spreading disinformation and causing further harm,” he added.
Yap said Ateneo understands the public demand for swift action but stressed that decisions must be based on verified facts.
“We share that sense of urgency, but we also owe it to everyone affected by this tragedy to make decisions based on verified facts, and to ensure that every action we take and every action we implement is thoughtful, thorough, and lasting,” he said.