Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Batasan Hills, Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.  1361 
Introduced by 4Ps Partylist Representative 
JC M. ABALOS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The State guarantees the right of every citizen to affordable and quality 
healthcare. Part of this guarantee is the ensurement of its availability, and this 
includes mental health.  
The 2021 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study (YAFS5), a nationwide 
survey on Filipino youth conducted by the University of the Philippines Population 
Institute (UPPI) and funded by the Department of Health (DOH), revealed a 
substantial increase in the percentage of youth frequently experiencing depressive 
symptoms like loneliness, sadness, and feeling disliked between 2013 and 2021.1 
While it's true that the data collection for this study occurred during the 
COVID-19 pandemic, and there's a possibility that increased awareness or better 
reporting may contribute to the documented rise in cases, this should not serve as an 
excuse for the escalating numbers. Instead, the alarming upward trend since 20132 
must serve as a critical prompt for us to intensify our focus on providing truly 
accessible and comprehensive mental health services to the youth. Moreover, the 
study underscores this urgent need by highlighting concerning data on help-seeking 
2 Ibid. 
1 Maria Midea M. Kabamalan, "Pinoy youth in worse mental shape today, nationwide survey indicates," Press 
Release, Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study (YAFS5), University of the Philippines Population Institute, 
October 10, 2022, 
https://www.uppi.upd.edu.ph/sites/default/files/pdf/YAFS5_Press%20Release_Mental%20Health.pdf. 
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behavior. As stated, only one in ten youth, or 11%, are aware of any suicide 
prevention program or service,3 and a striking 62% did not reach out to anyone 
regarding their suicidal ideations.4 
The study also shows significant challenges within the mental healthcare 
system, these include: severe understaffing of mental health practitioners, high costs 
of consultation and treatment, and the stigmatization associated with mental health 
problems.5 
The YAFS5 clearly indicates that our youth collectively exhibit a poorer state 
of mental-well being. Therefore, it is only imperative that mental health services are 
made readily available, especially to our youth.  
Thus, this proposed measure aims to institute policies promoting the mental 
health and wellness of students, faculty, teaching and non-teaching staff, and other 
personnel within State Universities and Colleges (SUCs). It seeks to design programs 
and provide services that will assist SUCs students in resolving emotional, 
behavioral, and psychological issues that act as barriers to learning. Further, the bill 
intends to enhance the preparedness of SUCs' faculty, teaching and non-teaching 
staff, and other personnel to foster an enabling environment for students to acquire 
knowledge and develop intellectually. 
This bill was filed in the 19th Congress and was passed by the Lower House 
in the third and final reading, hence, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
sought. 
JC M. ABALOS 
Representative 
4Ps Partylist 
5 Kabamalan, Press Release, Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study (YAFS5) 
4 Ibid. 
3 University of the Philippines Population Institute, "Zoom In, Zoom Out: Filipino Youth in Focus," PowerPoint 
slides, National Dissemination Forum for the 2021 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study (YAFS5), October 
14, 2022, https://www.uppi.upd.edu.ph/sites/default/files/pdf/YAFS5_National_Dissemination_Slides_FINAL.pdf. 
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Batasan Hills, Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.  1361 
Introduced by 4Ps Partylist Representative 
JC M. ABALOS 
AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES OF STATE 
UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:​
SECTION 1.  
Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “State 
Universities and Colleges (SUCs) Mental Health Service Act”. 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
uphold the basic right of every Filipino to sound mental health and ensure access to 
appropriate interventions, therapy, and treatment as needed. 
Pursuant to this mandate, the State shall institute policies to promote the 
mental health and wellness of students, faculty, teaching and non-teaching staff, and 
other personnel in the campuses of SUCs through, among others, the establishment 
of a Mental Health Office in all SUCs, and the hiring, deployment, and training of 
additional SUCs-based mental health service personnel. 
All SUCs shall ensure that proper and adequate mental health services are 
provided to their students, faculty, non-teaching staff and other personnel. In this 
regard, all SUCs, through their Mental Health Offices, shall design programs and 
provide services that shall assist students in resolving emotional, behavioral, and 
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psychosocial issues that are barriers to learning and enhance the preparedness of the 
faculty, teaching, non-teaching staff, and other personnel to foster an enabling 
environment for students to acquire knowledge and to develop intellectually. 
 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act: 
a.​ Guidance counselor refers to an individual who possesses a license or 
certification granted by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) 
and holds at the minimum a master's degree in Guidance and 
Counseling, Guidance, or Counseling, without prejudice to those 
registered under the grandfather's clause of Republic Act No. 9258, 
otherwise known as the "Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004", and is 
competent to perform guidance and counseling, career guidance and 
implement mental health programs; 
 
b.​ Mental health refers to a state of well-being in which the individual 
realizes one's own abilities and potentials, copes adequately with the 
normal stresses of life, displays resilience in the face of extreme life 
events, works productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a 
positive contribution to the community; 
 
c.​ Mental health professional refers to a medical doctor, nurse, guidance 
counselor, psychologist, or any other appropriately-trained and 
qualified person with specific skills relevant to, and necessary for, the 
provision of mental health services; 
 
d.​ Mental health services refer to the psychosocial, psychiatric, or 
neurologic activities and programs along the whole range of the mental 
health support services including promotion, prevention, treatment, 
and aftercare, which are provided by mental health facilities and 
mental health professionals; 
 
e.​ Psychologist refers to a natural person who has professional training 
and clinical skills in psychotherapeutic intervention and assessment for 
mental health problems and possesses a license or certification granted 
by the PRC and holds at the minimum a master's degree in Psychology 
without prejudice to those granted licenses under the grandfather's 
clause of Republic Act No. 10029, otherwise known as the "Philippine 
Psychology Act of 2009"; 
 
f.​ SUCs-based mental health service personnel refers to any mental 
health professional who is hired or deployed by, or has a contract with 
an SUC to render mental health services in its campus. 
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SEC. 4. Establishment of Mental Health Offices in All SUCs Campuses. — 
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shall, subject to the rules and 
regulations of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Department of Budget 
and Management (DBM), and the policies, standards, and guidelines of the CHED, 
require all SUCs to establish a Mental Health Office in all their campuses. 
 
The Mental Health Offices shall set up campus hotlines with dedicated and 
trained guidance counselors to provide assistance to the whole SUC Community, 
especially the students. Special attention shall be given to those identified to have 
mental health problems or conditions, especially those at risk of committing suicide. 
 
The CHED and the SUCs, through their Mental Health Offices, shall initiate 
and sustain a heightened campaign to raise the collective consciousness about 
mental health. The awareness campaign shall give special emphasis to the issues of 
suicide prevention, stress handling, mental health and nutrition, and guidance and 
counseling. The campaign shall ensure that the whole SUC community, especially 
the students, is aware of in-campus mental health services. 
 
The SUCs, through the Mental Health Offices, shall implement mental health 
programs and projects designed to promote the mental health and well-being of 
faculty, students, and personnel alike.  
 
Each Mental Health Office shall be manned by trained mental health 
professionals who shall serve as the mental health service personnel of the SUCs. 
 
The SUCs-based mental health service personnel of the Mental Health Offices, 
including those who shall be hired upon the effectivity of this Act, shall create a 
mechanism for timely crisis intervention and suicide prevention and the appropriate 
response strategies for the whole SUCs community, especially the students. 
 
The CHED shall, in coordination with the SUCs, establish mechanisms to 
maximize existing services offered by other executive departments such as the 
attached agencies to the Department of Health (DOH) dealing with mental health 
and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). 
 
SEC. 5. Hiring, Training and Deployment of Mental Health Professionals. — 
Subject to the guidelines set by the CHED and the SUCs, CSC and DBM, the SUCs 
shall hire, train and deploy mental health professionals, including a psychologist, to 
the Mental Health Office to ensure that each SUC shall have mental health 
professionals or mental health service providers within five (5) years from the 
effectivity of this Act. 
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The SUCs shall, in coordination with the CHED, prepare the appropriate 
plantilla positions to be submitted to the DBM for evaluation and approval for the 
additional SUC-based mental health service personnel to be hired under this Act, 
subject to the existing organizational, staffing, position classification and 
compensation policies, rules, and regulations. 
 
Notwithstanding the provisions of Republic Act No. 9258, otherwise known 
as the "Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004", SUCs may hire, as may be necessary, 
college graduates who do not yet qualify as mental health professionals but who 
possess a background in psychology or similar fields to provide mental health 
services: Provided, That the CHED shall provide for the appropriate training and 
instruction of such college graduates in order for them to gain and develop the 
necessary skills to render counselling services to faculty, students and school 
personnel, and assist them in managing mental health issues: Provided, further, That 
such services shall be rendered under the supervision of qualified mental health 
professionals within the schools division: Provided, finally, That a college graduate 
hired to work in a Mental Health Office shall, within three (3) years from the date of 
employment in the SUC, secure the appropriate license to practice as a mental health 
professional and meet the relevant qualification requirements of their position. 
 
The CHED and the SUCs, through the Mental Health Offices, shall formulate 
a scheme for the continuous training of mental health service personnel, taking into 
consideration the latest scientific studies, psycho-social approaches and know-how 
on mental health and mental health services, in accordance with the provisions of 
Republic Act No. 10912, otherwise known as the "Continuing Professional 
Development Act of 2016". 
 
SEC. 
6. 
Professional 
and 
Career 
Development 
of 
Mental Health 
Professionals. — The CHED shall, in coordination with the DBM, CSC, DOH and 
the PRC: 
a.​ Prepare a uniform career and personnel development plan that shall 
include 
provisions 
on 
personal 
wellness, 
merit 
promotion, 
performance evaluation, in-service training, graduate scholarships, 
research grants, and incentive award system; 
 
b.​ Match the salary grades of mental health professionals with related 
plantilla items under the provisions of Republic Act No. 6758, 
otherwise known as the "Compensation and Position Classification Act 
of 1989," as amended; 
 
c.​ Align the qualifications and standards for the qualification outcomes of 
Mental Health Professionals to the provisions of Republic Act No. 
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10968, otherwise known as the "Philippine Qualifications Framework 
Act"; 
 
d.​ Revisit the organizational structure of the SUCs to provide competent 
and professional personnel who shall provide supervision and 
technical assistance to the guidance counselors; 
 
e.​ Review, revise and develop the duties and responsibilities of mental 
health professionals in accordance with laws governing their 
professions; 
 
f.​ Prepare a performance evaluation plan that considers the improvement 
of the efficiency and organizational effectiveness of each counselor: 
Provided, That each employee shall be informed regularly by their 
immediate supervisor of the evaluation of their performance; and  
g.​ Provide periodic training, aimed at retooling and upgrading the skills 
of mental health professionals. 
 
SEC. 7. Salary Scale. — The career and salary scales of mental health 
professionals in SUCs shall provide for a gradual progression from a minimum to a 
maximum salary by means of regular increments, to be given regularly based on 
merit and competencies. 
 
The entry level of mental health professionals shall not be lower than Salary 
Grade 16. Mental health professionals hired by SUCs as Psychometricians shall be 
hired at Salary Grade 11 at the entry level. 
 
SEC. 8. Contractual Hiring of Mental Health Personnel. — In case of a 
scarcity of mental health professionals who are available to work on a full-time basis 
in a Mental Health Office, the concerned SUC may hire qualified professionals on a 
contractual or part-time basis, subject to the evaluation and approval of the DBM. 
 
SEC. 9. Benefits. — All mental health professionals employed in the various 
Mental Health Offices shall enjoy the rights, privileges, and other benefits provided 
in Republic Act No. 7305, otherwise known as the "Magna Carta of Public Health 
Workers", Republic Act No. 11036, otherwise known as the "Mental Health Act", and 
other pertinent laws. 
 
SEC. 10. Appropriations. — The amount necessary to carry out the provisions 
of this Act shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations Act. 
 
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SEC. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days from 
the effectivity of this Act, the CHED shall, in coordination with the DOH, the 
Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges, and other concerned 
stakeholders, issue rules and regulations to govern the hiring, training and 
deployment of guidance counselors, psychologists and other mental health service 
personnel in SUCs, and for the implementation of this Act. 
 
SEC. 12. Suppletory Application. — The applicable provisions of Republic 
Act No. 11036, otherwise known as the "Mental Health Act", insofar as they are not 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, shall apply suppletorily. 
 
SEC. 13. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected, shall 
remain in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 14. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary 
to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly. 
 
SEC. 15. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved, 
 
 
 
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