Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BLL No. 4679

Introduced by: Hon. Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING
PROGRAM FOR ALL SCHOOL CHILDREN, INCREASING THE SALARY GRADES
OF GUIDANCE COUNSELORS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article Il, Section 13 of the Constitution provides that “The State recognizes the
vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical,
moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism
and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.”

Pursuant to this, guidance and counseling plays and enormous importance in the
holistic development of school children. It serves in fulfilling the basic physiological needs
of students and strengthens the educational program of schools

School's guidance and counseling programs seek to provide for the following

- Realization of student's potentialities;

- Help children with developing problems;

- Contribute to the development of the school's curriculum;

- Provide teachers with technical assistance; and

- Contribute to the mutual adjustment of students and the school

Guidance and counseling programs help to promote personal growth and prepare
students to become motivated workers and become responsible citizens. It serves as an
integral part of a school’s total educational program.

Primary importance given to the academic or curricular development in the face of
the country's urgent need to improve the quality of education impairs the proper attention
that should be given to the mental health of the Filipino youth,

A study entitled “School Violence in the Philippines: A Study on Programs and
Policies” reveals that DepEd’s Order No. 40, s. 2012 or the Child Protection Policy, which
seeks to safeguard the welfare of school children from all forms of violence, “could be
viewed on a perspective that majority of the provisions listed pertain to handling of cases
of violence and abuse in schools more than preventive measures to strengthen the
stakeholders’ capacity to be vigilant against these cases” (emphasis supplied).

More importantly, the study in part concludes that, “The most effective (school)
interventions appear to be those aimed at improving social and interpersonal skills and
modifying attitudes and beliefs” or precisely those very components that a guidance and
counseling program would seek to provide.

Given the many problems brought about by the negative effects of emerging
technologies on children, alarming suicide rates among our youth, the need to adequately


prepare our students in choosing their career tracks for the K to 12 Program, and the
overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to the students, it is imperative to
institutionalize the guidance and counseling program of the DepEd through the functional
and structural restructuring of guidance and counseling organization in schools
throughout the country.

Proper attention to guidance counseling services cannot be sacrificed in favor of
academic development inasmuch as the intellectual development of our youth can only
prosper if they are given adequate guidance they so badly need, especially with the
challenges of rapid technological modernization around the globe that is already taking
its toll in the emotional well-being of many people, especially the youth in the face of the
global pandemic and other health threats.

It is unfortunate, that technology such as cell phones, video games, internet and
computers have become an integral part of nearly every teenager's life, particularly during
the lockdown, such that it becomes imperative to guide school children regarding their
responsible use of technology for them to make the most of its effect on their lives.

The implementation of K to 12 Program that seeks to better prepare high school
graduates either for college and technical and vocational skills for employment
necessitates the appointment of personnel other that the licensed school counselors to
run the career guidance advocacy activities of schools for their high school students. The
K to 12 in fact provides for career and employment guidance counselors who will properly
guide the students in choosing their career tracks.

Moreover, despite the immense need for counseling professionals, we have a very
limited number of school-based counselors, psychologists and social workers who are
serving in our educational institutions, which is unfortunate considering that schools are
supposed to be essential partners in caring for the students’ mental and emotional health

The Philippines, under Republic Act No. 9258, otherwise known as the “Guidance
and Counseling Act of 2004,” provides for a policy of promoting the “improvement,
advancement, and protection of the guidance and counseling profession by undertaking
and instituting measures that will result in the professional, ethical, relevant, efficient, and
effective guidance and counseling services for the development and enrichment of
individuals and group lives.”

It also recognizes the “important role of guidance counselors in nation-building and
promotes the sustained development of a reservoir of guidance counselors whose
competence have been determined by honest and credible licensure examinations and
whose standards of professional practice and service are world-class and internationally
recognized, globally competitive through preventive regulatory measures, programs and
activities that foster their continuing professional development.”

Guidance and counseling services in schools, however, are being undermined by
the scarcity of guidance counselors primarily because of salary issues.

Former Secretary of DepEd Leonor Briones reportedly said that the lack of
guidance counselors “has been a persistent problem” not just in public schools but in all
levels of education system as a whole.

“The profession itself is not necessarily attracting enough graduates to go into the
field and if they're in the field, to go to the public sector”, she explained.

1 DepEd search for guidance counselors held back by low pay, AJ Siytangco, July 18,
2018, Manila Bulletin


Accordingly, the total number of authorized plantilla Guidance-related items is
3,553 as of June 2018 and “only 1,483 or 42% are filled. Likewise, only 393 are
Registered Guidance Counselors (RGCs) and the remaining 1,090 items are filled up by
non-RGCs. Throughout the country, there are only 3220 RGCs as of July 2017,"
inasmuch as when guidance counselors join public schools, their starting salary is pegged
at Teacher | with an entry salary of about P21,000.

To make the salary “more attractive,” the DepEd is requesting for the Department
of Budget and Management to adjust their pay to around P31,000.

As of May 2020, the DepEd only has 1,096 active guidance counselors and a total
of 5,398 “authorized” positions for the profession, but only 20% have been filled due to
the low salary.

Hence, this bill seeks to provide not only a comprehensive but a suitable and
functional guidance and counseling program for all school children and the hiring and
training of additional guidance counselors in order to enable the students to avail of
services that will address their mental, emotional and developmental need with the end
view of providing a holistic approach to the development and learning of our students.

It also amends RA 9258 in order to hire more school guidance counselors and
adequately address the needs of school children, especially those children-at-risk by
removing a master's degree in Guidance and Counseling as one of the requirements for
licensure examination.

The current requirements of the law for licensure examination may be too stringent
and may have been a factor in the low number of guidance and counseling graduates
applying for a license.

Moreover, the bill aims to increase the present salary grade of guidance
counselors to make the salary more attractive and encourage more students to have a
career in guidance counseling and attract more professionals.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

mn
Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan
th District, Quezon

2 With shortage of guidance counselors, how will PH students cope with pandemic?, Bonz
Magsambol, September 3, 202, Rappler


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. _4673

Introduced by: Hon. Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING
PROGRAM FOR ALL SCHOOL CHILDREN, INCREASING THE SALARY GRADES
OF GUIDANCE COUNSELORS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the. Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Comprehensive
Guidance and Counseling Program for All School Children Act”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the vital role of children and
youth in nation building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual,
intellectual and social well-being. Likewise, the State recognizes and guarantees the right
of students to school guidance and counseling services for decisions and selecting the
alternatives in fields of work suited to their potentialities.

Moreover, the State recognizes its duty to ensure that children and youth are not
only intellectually but emotionally healthy and are able to contribute to the development
of the country and attain a better quality of life

For this purpose, the State shall provide a comprehensive guidance and
counseling program that will adequately address the mental, emotional, behavioral, and
developmental needs of school children in order to enhance their ability to learn and
improve their discipline and behavior. In order to achieve this, the State shall:

(a) Strengthen guidance and counseling services in elementary and secondary
schools by recruiting, hiring and training additional guidance counselors that will extend
functional assistance to squarely address the mental, emotional, and developmental
needs of students;

(b) Give adequate support and assistance to parents and guardians in improving
the behavior, academic performance, and career options of their children, including the
provision of preventive and/or intervention measures to meet immediate problems and
concerns of students, through access to appropriate, responsive, and holistic guidance
and counseling services;

(c) Support school personnel and teachers in improving classroom management,
conducting behavioral interventions to improve school discipline, and developing the
awareness and skills to identify early warning signs of violence and suicide and the need
for mental health services; and

(d) Provide direct and indirect guidance and counseling services, particularly for
Homeroom Guidance, Career Guidance, Child Protection Policy, and other policies which
are responsive to the K to 12 Basic Education Program.


SEC. 3. Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program for All School
Children. — Notwithstanding the provisions of Republic Act No. 11036, otherwise known
as the "Mental Health Act", the Department of Education (DepEd), in consultation with
concerned government agencies and private organizations, shall institutionalize the
Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program for all K to 12 students, hereinafter
referred to as the Program,

The Program, which shall be comprehensive in scope, preventive and remedial in
design, developmental in nature, and an integral component of the school’s academic
mission, shall be child-friendly and gender-sensitive. Such program shall be regularly
updated and, at a minimum, shall include the following components:

(a) Provision of suitable, functional, proactive, and confidential guidance and
counseling services to students and other stakeholders, which shall be standards-based
and data driven;

(b) Enhancement of the appropriate school learning environment to improve
students’ academic development, career development, and personal-social development;

(c) Establishment of collaborative strategies for specifically identified populations
in the school community;

(d) Identification of students’ needs and problems;

(e) Conduct of the routine interviews and consultation with parents, teachers,
school personnel and other stakeholders;

(f) Conduct of periodic psychological testing, learning and study orientation,
research and enrichment activities;

(g) Formulation of guidance policies;

(h) Development of data-driven results and objectives;

(i) Referrals to other support groups and services; and

(j) Active engagement of family, community and other stakeholders

SEC. 4. Recruitment, Hiring, and Training of Guidance Counselors. - Subject to
the guidelines set by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Department of Budget
and Management (DBM), the Secretary of Education shall initiate the immediate
recruitment, hiring, and training of school guidance counselors. The appropriate number
of guidance counselors shall be assigned for each public elementary and secondary
school to progressively meet the recommended ratio of one guidance counselor for every
500 students within five (5) years after the effectivity of this Act.

For this purpose, a master's degree in Guidance and Counseling as provided for
under Section 13 (c) of Republic Act No. 9258, otherwise known as the “Guidance and
Counseling Act of 2004”, shall no longer be required for licensure examination.

SEC. 5. Salary Grade Adjustment of Guidance Counselors. - The salary schedule
for the positions of Guidance Counselors shall be modified as follows:

POSITION TITLE _SALARY GRADE MODIFIED SALARY GRADE
Guidance Counselor | | 1 16
Guidance Counselor II 12 17
Guidance Counselor Ill 13 18



SEC. 6. Scholarship and Retum Service Program. - The DepEd, in collaboration
with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), shall develop a scholarship and return
service program for those who are qualified to take the required bachelor's degree in
Guidance and Counseling and shall render services in public elementary and high
schools as guidance counselors.

SEC. 7. Sanction for Noncompliance. - The Secretary of the Education shall
prescribe the appropriate administrative sanctions on school administrators who shall fail
to comply with the provisions of this Act. In addition, erring private schools shalll suffer the
penalty of suspension of their permits to operate.

SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the DepEd, in coordination with the relevant agencies of government
and private schools, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to carry out the
provisions of this Act.

Furthermore, the Secretary of Education shall issue the necessary guidelines in
the selection, recruitment and hiring of personnel and the nature, scope and guiding
principles of the guidance and counseling services to be offered to students, including the
rules of procedures, roles, functions and parameters in the organization, administration
and supervision of a comprehensive guidance and counseling program

SEC. 9. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to implement this Act shall be
included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment into law
and thereafter.

SEC. 10. Separability Clause. - Should any provision herein be declared
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this Act.

SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. — The pertinent provisions of Republic Act No. 9258,
otherwise known as the “Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004” are hereby amended
accordingly.

Alllaws, presidential decrees or issuances, executive orders, letter of instructions,
administrative orders, rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions
of this Act are hereby amended, repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 12. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,