A Grade 8 learner was stabbed on the grounds of Las Piñas National High School on July 2, 2026, leaving parents worried, teachers on edge and local officials searching for answers.
The attack leaves many of us baffled. Why are more young Filipinos turning to violence, and what is being done to stop it?
After visiting the hospitalized student, I believe that schools need stronger mental health programs to prevent similar incidents in the future.
This should be a wake-up call. Every child deserves to learn and grow in a safe place. Violence among children should never feel normal. Parents, teachers, government and communities need to replace a culture of violence with one of care, respect and compassion.
Making schools safer takes more than guards and security cameras. Schools need more counselors, better guidance programs and youth support services that deal with the real reasons behind violence, before things get out of hand.
We, adults, should listen to young people and give them real support and opportunities, so they don’t end up on a dangerous path.
I am pushing for the passage of Senate Bill No. 2133, or the Students’ Guidance Counseling Act. It aims to put more licensed guidance counselors, psychologists, school social workers and other mental health workers in schools nationwide.
The proposed bill tackles a basic problem-the lack of mental health professionals in our schools. It recommends the hiring of more counselors, psychologists and social workers to fix a lopsided ratio: one counselor for every 14,000 students.
This builds on Republic Act No. 12080, which creates the position of School Counselor Associate, with the government budgeting P2 billion to hire thousands of them. The law lets college graduates with a background in psychology or behavioral science provide mental health support in schools.
Research from Cambridge University Press show a troubling rise in depression among young Filipinos. Cases of moderate to severe depression among those aged 15 to 24 more than doubled over eight years. Other studies show similar trends, as school pressure, money problems at home and other stress keep piling on students.
We cannot ignore the mental health of our youth. Many students are under heavy pressure at school and dealing with personal problems at the same time, but they often have nowhere to turn even in the age of social media. That hurts not just their grades, but their health and their future.
The shortage of guidance counselors in the country is severe. The current ratio falls far short of the global standard of one for every 250. The Department of Education says thousands of counselor positions remain unfilled nationwide, which limits how well schools can step in early when students are struggling with anxiety, depression, bullying or other problems.
I believe that SB 2133 will help close the gap by requiring public schools to have at least one qualified counselor, associate counselor or social worker on staff, with ongoing training. The bill also promotes mental health and wellness programs, better systems for referring students to help and faster ways to step in when a student needs care.
We want enough professionals in place to guide and support Filipino learners. Catching problems early and responding quickly matters, so we can back up our young people before things get worse.
The goal is to make schools safer and more supportive by giving them the staff and systems needed to address mental health issues before they turn into more serious social problems.
Schools should be places where every student feels supported and cared for. We should keep listening to what young people are going through and take their mental health seriously.
Better access to counseling and mental health support will help young people make good choices and build better future. When we invest in their well-being, we help them make good decisions and shape a brighter path for our country. It falls on all of us -parents, teachers, government and the community- to make sure every young Filipino grows up safe, cared for and hopeful.
Making schools safer will not come from higher fences or additional guards. It will come from real investment in every student’s well-being. This is a necessary step toward closing the gap in our education system.