Gatchalian: DepEd's mental health programs should be cohesive, holistic

The Department of Education's (DepE) mental health program should be both cohesive and holistic to effectively uphold the well-being of learners, Senator Win Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian is alarmed that the implementation of mental health programs is not consistent across the country's schools. He said many mental health disorders come with a heightened risk of taking one's own life. Based on the DepEd's 2021 data, 404 learners died by suicide while 2,147 attempted suicide. DepEd records also show that only 16,557 out of the country's 60,157 schools have guidance offices and only 21,837 schools have conducted mental health celebration and awareness programs.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education also flagged that despite the parents' crucial role in upholding the well-being of children, they have no formal involvement in the DepEd's existing mental health programs.

Gatchalian filed the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act (Senate Bill No. 379), which seeks to institutionalize the Mental Health Program. This will provide mental health services, emotional, developmental and preventive programs, and other support services to ensure the social and emotional well-being of basic education learners and teaching and non-teaching personnel.

The lack of adequate personnel also prevents the DepEd from effectively implementing mental health programs in schools. To meet the ideal ratio of 1 guidance counselor per 500 students, 47,879 registered guidance counselors are needed nationwide. To date, however, there are only 4,379 registered guidance counselors under the Professional Regulation Commission, while only 3,286 are active.

To meet the need for guidance counselors, Gatchalian is proposing to raise their salaries. Under his proposed measure, the salary of Guidance Counselor I will increase to Salary Grade (SG) 16 (P39,672) from SG 11 (P27,000), Guidance Counselor II to SG 17 (P43,030) from SG 12 (P29,165), and Guidance Counselor III to SG 18 (P46,725) from SG 13 (P31,320).

Gatchalian also proposes the creation of a new position to be known as Guidance Associate that will actively participate in the implementation of the Mental Health and Well-Being Program.

"In my own observation, our mental health program is incohesive and not holistic. We need to institutionalize it and make it sustainable too," said Gatchalian.

Epektibong mental health program sa DepEd isinusulong ni Gatchalian

Isinusulong ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang isang komprehensibong programang pang-mental health sa mga paaralan upang matiyak ang kapakanan ng mga mag-aaral.

Nababahala si Gatchalian na hindi pantay-pantay ang pagpapatupad sa paaralan ng mga programa sa mental health. Aniya, dala ng mental health disorders ang posibilidad ng pagpapakamatay. Ayon sa datos ng DepEd para sa taong 2021, 404 mag-aaral ang namatay dahil sa suicide samantalang 2,147 naman ang nagtangkang magpakamatay. Ayon din sa datos ng DepEd, 16,557 lamang sa 60,157 mga paaralan sa bansa ang may guidance office samantalang 21,837 lamang ang nagsagawa ng mental health celebration at awareness program.

Nababahala rin si Gatchalian na sa kabila ng mahalagang papel ng mga magulang sa pangangalaga ng kanilang mga anak, wala silang pormal na papel sa mga mental health programs ng DepEd.

Inihain ni Gatchalian ang Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act (Senate Bill No. 379)upang gawing institutionalized ang Mental Health and Well-Being Program. Bibigyan nito ang mga paaralan ng mga mental health services, emotional, developmental, at preventive programs, kabilang ang iba pang support services upang matiyak ang social at emotional well-being ng mga mag-aaral at teaching at non-teaching personnel.

Nagiging sagabal din ang kakulangan ng personnel sa pagpapatupad ng mga mental health program sa mga paaralan. Upang matugunan ang pangangailangan sa isang guidance counselor kada 500 na mag-aaral, kinakailangan ang 47,879 na mga registered guidance counselor sa buong bansa. Sa kasalukuyan, 4,379 lamang ang registered guidance counselor sa ilalim ng Professional Regulation Commission, samantalang 3,286 lamang ang aktibo.

Iminumungkahi ni Gatchalian ang pagtaas ng sahod ng mga guidance counselor. Sa ilalim ng kanyang panukala, aakyat sa Salary Grade (SG) 16 (P39,672) mula SG 11 (P27,000) ang sahod ng Guidance Counselor I, SG 17 (P43,030) mula SG 12 (P29,165) para sa Guidance Counselor II, at SG 18 (P46,725) mula SG 13 (P31,320) para sa Guidance Counselor III.

Iminumungkahi din ni Gatchalian ang paglikha ng bagong posisyong tatawaging Guidance Associate na tutulong sa pagpapatupad ng Mental Health and Well-Being Program.

"Batay sa aking obserbasyon, walang pagkakatugma-tugma at hindi holistic ang ating programa sa mental health. Kailangan natin itong gawing institutionalized at tiyaking maipapatupad nang maayos at tuloy-tuloy," ani Gatchalian.