By Brian Campued
As part of the Marcos Jr. administration’s broader efforts to advance mental health initiatives in the country, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Department of Education (DepEd) teamed up to roll out a scholarship program to encourage more Filipino professionals to pursue graduate studies in guidance and counseling as well as in psychology.
Through the Learning Initiatives for Nurturing Guidance Associates and Counselors Program (LINGAP), a total of 870 scholarships will be awarded to qualified DepEd personnel starting Academic Year 2026–2027.
LINGAP aims to address the growing demand for guidance counselors and mental health experts in schools, ensuring that learners have access to inclusive mental health and wellness services inside their so-called “second home.”
CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis underscored the two agencies’ shared commitment to strengthen and make institutional support systems more responsive to the needs of students.
“The well-being of our learners is fundamental to their academic success and personal development,” Agrupis said.
“Through LINGAP, we are investing in the professionals who serve as the first line of support for students facing academic, social, emotional, and mental health challenges,” she added.
DepEd earlier launched the Learners TeleSafe Contact Center Helpline (#33733), which aims to provide learners with mental health struggles access to immediate professional intervention by connecting them directly to the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) Crisis Hotline.
Through the helpline, DepEd’s Learner Rights and Protection (LRP) officers likewise provide immediate guidance and assessments to distressed callers while working in close coordination with appropriate agencies and offices to address urgent concerns.
This complements Republic Act 12080, or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act, signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in December 2024, which mandates the development of school-based mental health programs designed to promote awareness and provide services such as mental health screenings, crisis responses, and referrals, while also focusing on suicide prevention.
Meanwhile, a bill has been filed at the House of Representatives seeking to institutionalize mental health services at the tertiary level to ensure the mental well-being of college students.
Under House Bill No. 7354 filed by Parañaque City 2nd District Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan in January, CHED will require the establishment of a Mental Health Office (MHO) in all state universities and colleges (SUCs) across the country.
The MHO will then be tasked in setting up campus hotlines for students with mental health concerns. The SUCs must also hire, train, and deploy mental health professionals, including a psychologist, to the MHOs to ensure that each campus has mental health service providers.
Mental health has always been at the forefront of the government’s education and health agenda, and recently, became a more prominent priority following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck parts of Mindanao on June 8.
No less than President Marcos Jr. himself emphasized the importance of addressing the emotional and psychological impact of the disaster on learners, noting that many children do not always openly express their struggles.
During his visit to General Santos City on Wednesday, the President said that teachers would receive training to help students with emotional distress.
“Kausap ko ‘yung mga teacher, at sinabi ko sa kanila, alalahanin nila na traumatizing itong experience para sa mga estudyante, para sa mga bata,” Marcos said.
“So, bantayan din nila. We have a program sa DOH (Department of Health) na tutulong sa mental health ng mga bata na dumaan sa ganitong klaseng experience,” he added.
-avds
