NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
]
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
]
First Regular Session 
]
SENATE
S.B. No. 379
ssnia:':
•22 JUL 12 All 54
RlXElVSOti.,
Introduced by SENATOR WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE PROMOTION AND DELIVERY OF MENTAL 
HEALTH SERVICES IN BASIC EDUCATION SCHOOLS THROUGH THE 
INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 
PROGRAM, PRESCRIBING THE HIRING AND DEPLOYMENT OF MENTAL 
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, PRESCRIBING THE CREATION OF 
PLANTILLA POSITIONS OF GUIDANCE ASSOCIATES IN THE 
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, INCREASING THE SALARY GRADES OF 
GUIDANCE COUNSELORS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Section 13, Article II of the 1987 Constitution is explicit in recognizing 
the vital role of the youth in nation-building and the need to promote and 
protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. To 
achieve this, proper guidance must be extended to the youth to ensure and enable 
their fullest development physically, mentally, emotionally, morally, 
spiritually, and socially in a healthy and normal manner and in conditions of 
freedom and dignity appropriate to their corresponding developmental stage.1
1 Articles 9 and 10, Presidential Decree 603 or the Child and Youth Welfare Code, state; 
Art. 9. Levels of Growth. - The child shall be given adequate care, assistance and guidance 
through his various levels of growth, from infancy to early and later childhood, to puberty 
and adolescence, and when necessary even after he shall have attained age 21.
Art. 10. Phases of Development. - The child shall enjoy special protection and shall be given 
opportunities and facilities, by law and by other means, to ensure and enable his fullest
1


This bill institutionalizes the Mental Health and Well-Being Program 
which shall provide mental health services, emotional, developmental and 
preventive programs, and other support services, and eliminate the stigma on 
mental health counseling, to ensure the emotional and social well-being of 
basic education learners and teaching and non-teaching personnel in both 
public and private schools. In line with this, the Department of Education 
(DepEd), in consultation with the Department of Health, the Department of 
Social Welfare and Development, other relevant government agencies, civil 
society organizations, and the private sector, shall develop and implement a 
comprehensive and integrated multi-year roadmap using the Whole of Society 
Approach.
To ensure the institutionalization of an effective, efficient, and 
integrated Mental Health and Well-Being Program, the bill mandates to: (1) 
establish and maintain a Mental Health and Well-Being Center (“Center”) in 
every public basic education school as well as ensure their establishment and 
maintenance in private basic education schools in the country; (2) prescribe 
the creation of a sufficient number of plantilla items for the positions of 
Guidance Counselors and Guidance Associates; (3) set the qualifications and 
functions of a Guidance Associate; (4) hire mental health professionals and 
deploy them to public elementary, secondary, and vocational institutions; (5) 
guarantee the professional and career development of mental health 
professionals; (6) increase the salary grades of Guidance Counselors who are 
currently classified as Guidance Counselor I, Guidance Counselor II, and 
Guidance Counselor III from Salary Grades 11, 12, and 13, respectively, to 
Salary Grades 16, 17, and 18; (7) endeavor to attract the best available and 
qualified officers and support personnel of the Centers through career 
progression, adequate and competitive remuneration, benefits, incentives and
development physically, mentally, emotionally, morally, spiritually and socially in a healthy 
and normal manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity appropriate to the 
corresponding developmental stage.
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allowances, scholarship and training grants, and exchange programs; (8) 
carry out the appropriate regular training and skills upgrading and 
development for mental health professionals and support personnel; and (9) 
ensure that teacher education institutions offering teacher education 
programs include in the curriculum subjects on mental health.
The DepEd requires basic education schools to hire one (1) Guidance 
Counselor for every 500 students. Currently, however, the Philippines has 
only 4,069 registered Guidance Counselors as of June 2022 since the first 
batch took the licensure examinations in 2008.2 Clearly, with 27.4 million 
elementary and high school students3, the desired ratio of 1:500 Guidance 
Counselor to students is far from being met.
This measure recognizes the shortage of registered Guidance 
Counselors and perceives the urgent need to address the current challenges 
in the delivery of the appropriate mental health and well-being services and 
programs, the increasing number of incidents of suicide due to various mental 
health issues and disorders, and the need to provide the needed intervention 
to ensure the mental health and well-being of learners as well as of the 
teaching and non-teaching personnel.
With the end goal of ensuring the mental health and well-being of 
learners and of the teaching and non-teachins^personnel in our basic 
education institutions, I fervently urge Congress/for tpi e immediate passage of 
this legislation.
2 Data from the Professional Regulation Commission Board of Guidance and Counseling is 
inclusive of individuals who may have shifted careers or passed away. Note that for 2020 and 
2021, there were no licensure examinations due to the pandemic.
3 SY 2021-22 data as of December 2021 for both public and private elementary and secondary 
schools, the DepEd, including BARMM.
3


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
]
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
]
First Regular Session 
]
SENATE
379
Ot liie ^ 1.: '‘t,!!')’
72 JUL 12 All 54
Rl:CEIV^DBV.
S.B. No.
Introduced by SENATOR WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE PROMOTION AND DELIVERY OF MENTAL 
HEALTH SERVICES IN BASIC EDUCATION SCHOOLS THROUGH THE 
INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 
PROGRAM, PRESCRIBING THE HIRING AND DEPLOYMENT OF MENTAL 
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, PRESCRIBING THE CREATION OF 
PLANTILLA POSITIONS OF GUIDANCE ASSOCIATES IN THE 
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, INCREASING THE SALARY GRADES OF 
GUIDANCE COUNSELORS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the 'Basic Education
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Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion AcP.
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the vital role of the
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youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral,
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spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. Towards this end, it shall be the
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duty of the State to establish, maintain, and support a complete, adequate,
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and integrated system of education relevant to the needs of society and its


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people.
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To achieve these goals, the State shall:
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a) institutionalize an effective, efficient, and integrated mental health
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and well-being program, and strengthen the existing mental health
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and guidance and counseling program that will ensure the mental
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health and emotional well-being of the learners and the teaching
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and non-teaching personnel in all public and private basic
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education schools in the country;
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b) hire and capacitate competent mental health professionals, and
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other qualified support personnel to meet the current demand of the
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education sector. They shall develop strategies and standards that
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will promote and ensure the mental health and well-being of the
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learners and the teaching and non-teaching personnel; and
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c) protect and ensure the physical, moral, intellectual, and social well-
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being of learners and the teaching and non-teaching personnel in
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public and private basic education schools to make them resilient
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and well-adjusted individuals possessed with the appropriate
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qualities, skills, and attitude in life.
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Sec. 3. Objectives. - The objectives of this Act are as follows:
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a) to enable the Department of Education (DepEd) to recruit, train and
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hire additional mental health professionals, promote and sustain
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their well-being, competencies, professional growth, and career
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development in the DepEd;
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b) to adequately address the mental, emotional and developmental
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needs of learners as well as of the teaching and non-teaching
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personnel through the provision of mental health professionals,
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with the end view of developing their social skills, self-esteem,
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individual resilience, motivation, self-awareness, and sense of
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belonging in the school community, among others;


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c) 
to promote the emotional, psychological and the mental health and 
well-being of learners and teachers to enhance their learning and 
classroom preparedness, including those learners identified as 
children in conflict with the law (CICL), students at risk of dropping 
out (SRDO), learner-victims of Violence Against Women and 
Children (VAWC), and learners-victims of other related forms of 
child abuse and criminal acts;
d) 
to support teachers and other education personnel in improving 
classroom management through the conduct of behavioral and 
other guidance-related interventions, to improve the learners’ well­
being, emotional and psychosocial development, daily disposition 
and career decision-making;
e) 
to train the teachers and the non-teaching personnel in developing 
awareness and skills to enable them to identify early warning signs 
of mental health problems and the need for mental health 
interventions;
f) 
to establish linkages with the community to include parents, 
guardians, and concerned stakeholders, through the promotion of 
mental health and well-being programs and activities geared to 
address the mental, emotional and developmental needs of learners 
as well as of the teaching and non-teaching personnel;
g) 
to support parents, guardians, and concerned stakeholders in 
improving the school behavior and academic success of the 
learners;
h) 
to remove the emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial barriers to 
learning to achieve a learner-friendly, inclusive, safe, and motivating 
learning environment; and
i) 
to provide aftercare support in the treatment of mental health 
concerns of learners as well as of the teachers and non-teaching 
personnel.


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Sec. 4. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:
a) 
Counseling - refers to a dynamic face-to-face personal interaction 
between the counselor and the counselee, where the counselor 
employs various methods, approaches or techniques to enhance the 
counselee’s intrapersonal and interpersonal development and 
competencies;
b) 
Guidance Associate - refers to an individual who holds a guidance 
associate plantilla in the DepEd and a graduate of Bachelor’s degree 
in Guidance and Counseling, Psychology, Social Work, Human 
Services, and other allied disciplines or any related courses, and 
possesses the qualification provided hereafter;
c) 
Guidance Counselor - refers to an individual who possesses license 
or certification granted by the Professional Regulations Commission 
(PRC) and holds a minimum master’s degree in Guidance and 
Counseling, Guidance, or Counseling without prejudice to those 
registered under the grandfather’s clause of Republic Act (R.A.) 
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 and well-being programs;
d) 
Guidance Services Specialist - refers to the specific plantilla position 
in the DepEd of Guidance Counselor who are tasked to ensure the 
mental health and well-being of learners and the teaching and non­
teaching personnel;
e) 
Guidance Teacher - refers to a regular teacher who is given 
additional assignments related to guidance or counseling services, 
or both, aside from the teaching load, to augment the lack of supply 
of Guidance Counselors. They shall be selected by the school 
principal based on their leadership skills and potentials, and 
competence in handling guidance-related concerns. Preferably, a


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Guidance Teacher has at least a background in psychology, values 
education, or units in guidance and counseling;
f) 
Mental Health - as defined in R.A. No. 11036, otherwise known as 
the “Mental Health Act”, 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;
g) 
Mental Health Professional - refers to a medical doctor, nurse. 
Guidance Counselor, Guidance Associates who can be a 
psychologist, psychometrician, social worker, or any other 
appropriately trained and qualified person with specific skills 
relevant to the provision of mental health and well-being services;
h) 
Mental Health and Well-Being Program - refers to the system of 
services designed to maintain the state of well-being of an individual 
in order that one may realize one’s own abilities and potentials, cope 
adequately with the normal stresses of life, displays resilience in the 
face of extreme life events, works productively and fruitfully, and be 
able to make a positive contribution to the community;
i) 
Mental Health Services - as defined in R.A. No. 11036, 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;
j) 
Multi-year Mental Health and Well-Being Program Roadmap - refers 
to a document that shall serve as a guide for the DepEd, Department 
of Health (DOH), Department of Social Work and Development 
(DSWD), the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the 
Commission on Higher Education (CHED), other relevant 
government agencies, and the private stakeholders for the optimal


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realization of the objectives of this Act. It shall contain the current
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policy, practices, gaps, and challenges affecting the mental health
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and well-being of learners and the teaching and non-teaching
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personnel, as well as the implementation of the current guidance
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and counseling or mental health programs of schools, h shall
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likewise set detailed targets and outcomes for a minimum period of
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five (5) years and provide the stakeholders' specific actions or
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interventions to include implementation and monitoring strategies
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and annual budgetary requirements. It shall be subject to a periodic
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review and updating to determine its implementation status and
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ensure that the implementation of the Mental Health and Well-Being
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Program as envisioned in this Act is sustained;
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k) Psychologist - refers to a natural person who has professional
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training and clinical skills in psychotherapeutic intervention and
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assessment for mental health problems, possesses license or
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certification granted by the PRC, and holds a minimum Master’s
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Degree in Psychology without prejudice to those granted licenses
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under the grandfather’s clause of R.A. 10029, otherwise known as
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the “Psychology Act of 2009”; and
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1) Psychometrician - refers to a natural person who has professional
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training skills in psychological assessment, possesses license or
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certification granted by the PRC, and holds a minimum Bachelor’s
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Degree in Psychology without prejudice to those granted licenses
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under the grandfather’s clause of R.A. 10029, otherwise known as
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the “Psychology Act of 2009”.
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Sec. 5. The Mental Health and Well-Being Program. - The Mental Health
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and Well-Being Program is hereby institutionalized which shall be
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implemented by the DepEd. It shall be designed to provide mental health
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services, emotional, developmental and preventive programs, and other


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support services, and to eliminate the stigma on mental health counseling, to
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ensure the emotional and social well-being of basic education learners and
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teaching and non-teaching personnel in both public and private schools.
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Sec. 6. The Mental Health and Well-Being Program Roadmap. - To ensure
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the effective implementation of this Act, the DepEd, through the Schools
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Division Offices (SDOs), in consultation with the DOH, the DSWD, other
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relevant government agencies, civil society organizations, and the private
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sector, shall develop and implement a comprehensive and integrated multi-
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year roadmap using the Whole of Society Approach.
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The multi-year roadmap shall likewise be crafted and implemented in
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complementarity with the provisions of R.A. No. 11036 or the Mental Health
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Act, R.A. No. 11206 or the Secondary School Career Guidance and Counseling
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Act, and R.A. No. 10533 or the “Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013”.
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The Superintendents of the SDOs shall require all schools within their
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jurisdiction to periodically prepare and submit reports on the implementation
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of each school of the multi-year roadmap and of the other provisions of this
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Act, and submit a consolidated report to the Secretary of the DepEd through
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the Regional Director having jurisdiction of the SDOs.
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Sec. 7. The Mental Health and Well-Being Center; Personnel. -
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Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2, Section 27 of R.A. No. 9258,
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and to facilitate the effective implementation of the Mental Health and Well-
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Being Program and the provisions of this Act, the DepEd shall establish and
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maintain a Mental Health and Well-Being Center (Center) in every public basic
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education school as well as ensure their establishment and maintenance in
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private basic education schools in the country. The Center shall be equipped
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with functional physical facilities, located within an adequate space, and
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provide privacy and accessibility to the learners, the teaching and non-
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teaching personnel, and parents.


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For this purpose, secondary schools may utilize the Career Guidance 
and Counseling Program Centers required to be established under Section 5 
of R.A. No. 11206. Existing Guidance and Counseling Offices may be utilized 
for this purpose or integrated into the Center.
The Center shall be supervised and headed by the school principal and 
shall have a Registered Guidance Counselor, Guidance Associate, and other 
support personnel.
Sec. 8. Functions of the Center. - The Center in every public and private 
basic education school shall implement the provisions of this Act by delivering 
mental and well-being services to address the mental, emotional and 
developmental needs of learners and the teaching and non-teaching 
personnel.
It shall likewise craft and implement a localized multi-year roadmap 
anchored on the DepEd’s multi-year roadmap as provided herein.
In crafting the localized multi-year roadmap, the Center shall undertake 
the following steps in the development and implementation of the multi-year 
roadmap:
a) needs assessment;
b) identification of priorities, goals and objectives;
c) designing activities or services to meet the desired goals and 
objectives;
d) drawing up a program multi-year budget, including the allocation of 
resources;
e) identification and hiring of necessary personnel as provided in this 
Act;
f) evaluation and its outcomes; and
g) revision of goals leading to the specification of new objectives.
The Center shall periodically prepare and submit reports to the SDO in 
its implementation of the Mental Health and Well-Being Program.


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Sec. 9. Organization of the Center Officers and Support Personnel, and
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Creation of Positions. - To ensure the effective implementation of the Mental
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Health and Well-Being Program and the delivery of mental health and well-
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being services towards the attainment of the objectives of this Act, the DepEd,
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in consultation with the DBM and the Civil Service Commission (CSC), shall
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develop an organization focused on the implementation of this Act and of the
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multi-year roadmap. As such, a sufficient number of plantilla items for the
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positions of Guidance Counselors, and Guidance Associates shall be
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prescribed to be created in schools in order to cater to the needs of learners
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and the teaching and non-teaching personnel, according to minimum
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standards to be determined by the DepEd and the DOH.
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The concerned agencies shall consider the position classification,
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salaries, career progression, and the detailed description of the duties and
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responsibilities of such officers and support personnel.
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Sec. 10. Personnel for the Center. - The Center shall have a Registered
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Guidance Counselor, a Guidance Associate, and other necessary officers and
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support personnel as may be determined by the school principal. It shall be
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headed by a Registered Guidance Counselor who shall have qualified
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pursuant to the provisions of R.A. No. 9258.
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Sec. 11. Qualifications of a Guidance Associate. - To qualify as a
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Guidance Associate, one must have:
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a) completed the academic requirements for a Bachelor's Degree in
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Guidance and Counseling or completed the academic requirements
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for a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, Social Work, Human
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Services, and other allied disciplines; and
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b) must have earned a minimum of twelve (12) units of Behavioral
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Science subjects and two hundred (200) hours of supervised


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practicum or internship experience on guidance and counselling
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preferably in a school or community setting.
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Sec. 12. Functions of a Guidance Associate. - A Guidance Associate shall
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perform the following functions:
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a) actively participate in the implementation of the Mental Health and
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Well-Being Program;
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b) conduct preliminary screening or evaluation of learners and the
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teaching and non-teaching personnel using pre-approved forms;
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c) conduct or assist in the orientation of teachers, parents, learners, or
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the community on psychosocial well-being and mental health;
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d) engage in conversations with, or listen to, learners and the teaching
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and non-teaching personnel who require such support from the
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Center;
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e) coordinate with teachers, parents or guardians, and external
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partners on concerns a;ffecting the psychosocial well-being or mental
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health and academic performance of learners who need guidance
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and counseling, and facilitate the conduct of such guidance and
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counseling by the Guidance Counselor;
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f) assist the Guidance Counselor in assessing and monitoring learners
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and the teaching and non-teaching personnel who need guidance or
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counseling, or both;
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g) participate and assist in the implementation and facilitation of
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educational and training workshops for teachers. Center officers,
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support personnel, and parents; and
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h) perform such other fuuctions as may be assigned by the Guidance
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Counselor or school principal.
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Sec. 13. Hiring and Deployment of Mental Health Professionals. - Subject
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to the guidelines set by the C$C and the DBM, the DepEd shall hire and
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deploy mental health professionals such that each public elementary,
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secondaiy, and vocational institution shall have mental health professionals 
or mental health service providers within five (5) years from the effecfivity of 
this Act.
Notwithstanding the provisions of R.A. No. 9258, public and private 
educational institutions may hire, as may be necessary, graduates with 
relevant background in psychology or similar fields, who do not yet qualify as 
mental health professionals, to provide school-based mental health services: 
Provided, That they undergo sufficient capacity building as determined by the 
DepEd and supervised by qualified mental health professionals in their 
provision of mental health services: Provided, further, That they shall be 
licensed as mental health professionals within three (3) years from their date 
of hiring.
The DepEd shall establish mechanisms to maximize existing mental 
health services offered by other executive departments such as agencies 
attached to the DOH and the DSWD.
Sec. 14. Professional and Career Development of Mental Health 
Professionals. - The DepEd, in coordination with the DBM, CSC, DOH and 
PRC, shall:
a) prepare a uniform career and personnel development plan that shall 
include provisions on personal wellness, merit promotion, 
performance evaluation, in-service training, postgraduate 
scholarship grants, research grants, incentive award system;
b) match the salary grades of mental health professionals related items 
with respect to the provisions of R.A. No. 6758, otherwise known as 
the “Position Classification and Compensation Act”;
c) align the qualifications and standards for the qualification outcomes 
of mental health professionals to R.A. No. 10968, otherwise known 
as the “Philippine Qualifications Framework Act”;
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d) revisit the DepEd’s organizational structure in order to provide 
competent and professional personnel who will provide supervision 
and technical assistance to Guidance Counselors, Guidance 
Associate and other personnel at the school levels;
e) review, revise and develop the duties and responsibilities of mental 
health professionals in accordance with their professionalizing laws;
f) 
prepare performance evaluation plan that considers the 
improvement of individual counselor efficiency and organizational 
effectiveness: Provided, That each employee shall be informed 
regularly by the immediate supervisor of one’s performance 
evaluation; and
g) provide for the institutionalization of the Basic Education Mental 
Health and Well-Being Manual.
Sec. 15. Salary Grade Adjustment of Guidance Counselors. - The salary 
schedule for the positions of Guidance Counselors shall be modified as 
follows:
Position Title
Current Salary Grade
Modified Salary Grade
Guidance Counselor I
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Guidance Counselor II
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Guidance Counselor III
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Sec. 16. Remuneration, Benefits, and Incentives for Center Officers and 
Support Personnel. - The DepEd shall endeavor to attract the best available 
and qualified Center officers and support personnel through career 
progression, adequate and competitive remuneration, benefits, incentives and 
allowances, scholarship and training grants, and exchange programs. As 
such, the career and salary grades of mental health professionals shall 
provide for a gradual progression from a minimum to a maximum salary by
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means of regular increments, to be given regularly based on merit and 
competencies as similarly given to Master Teachers.
The salaiy grades of mental health professionals and support personnel 
shall be set in accordance with the Revised Compensation and Position 
Classification System and other CSC Rules and Regulations.
Sec. 17. Other Benefits. - The mental health professionals shall enjoy the 
rights and privileges as provided in the Magna Carta for Public Health 
Workers, Mental Health Law, and other pertinent laws.
Sec. 18. Scholarship Program and Service Obligation. - The DepEd, in 
collaboration with the CHED, shall develop a scholarship program for in- 
service teachers who shall take the required master’s degree or units on 
Guidance and Counseling, or other related courses to equip them with 
knowledge on policies, principles, and pedagogies on guidance and 
counseling.
As their return service, the grantees shall serve as Guidance Counselors 
or Guidance Associates as they continue to work in the DepEd for such 
reasonable period as may be determined by the latter.
Sec. 19. Continuing Education and Training. - The DepEd shall carry out 
the appropriate regular training and skills upgrading and development for 
mental health professionals and support personnel.
To ensure that the in-service teachers have the basic knowledge in 
guidance and counseling, the DepEd, within one (1) year from the effectivity 
of this Act, shall ensure that all teachers as well as the non-teaching personnel 
in public and private basic education schools are equipped with the needed 
basic training to detect learners who may need mental health support and 
guidance and counseling, and refer them to the Center for the appropriate 
intervention.
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Sec. 20. Pre-Service Education and In-Service Training. - The DepEd shall
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collaborate with the CHED to ensure that teacher education institutions
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offering bachelor of elementary or secondary education degrees include in the
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curriculum subjects on mental health.
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In order to adequately provide the needed personnel for the
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implementation of this Act, the CHED and the DepEd shall closely coordinate
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and effectively implement programs necessary to support the continuing
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education of DepEd personnel including a unified system for ladderized
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education, which shall have a mechanism for conversion of career experience
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into education degree credits. This shall include programs for transitions and
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progressions for teaching and non-teaching personnel, such as but not
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limited to programs for an education degree graduate to become a Guidance
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Associate, and a psychology degree graduate to become a Guidance
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Counselor: Provided, that, they shall pass the required licensure examinations
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or were issued the required certifications.
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Sec. 21. Readiness Assessment. - Upon the effectivity of this Act, the
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DepEd shall conduct an evaluation of all schools to determine their readiness
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in the provision of mental health and well-being services, including a general
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assessment of each school’s current mental health and well-being programs
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and services, as well as the resources and personnel they need: Provided, that,
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the DepEd shall coordinate with the CHED to ensure the supply of qualified
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professionals through recruitment of students in the appropriate courses and
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ensure their seamless progression from higher education to employment,
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taking into consideration the demand for such personnel in the multi-year
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roadmap as provided in this Act.
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Sec. 22. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation
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of this Act shall be charged against those authorized in the current
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appropriations of the DepEd. Thereafter, the amount necessary for its
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continued implementation shall be included in the budget as a separate line 
item in the annual General Appropriations Act.
The DepEd shall likewise submit the funding requirements, with its 
corresponding annual targets for the implementation of the multi-year 
roadmap, to the DBM and other concerned agencies for the determination of1 
appropriate budget allocation and inclusion under the yearly National 
Expenditure Program of the government.
Sec. 23. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee (JCOC) on Mental 
Health. - There is hereby created a JCOC to oversee, monitor and evaluate 
the implementation of this Act. The JCOC shall be composed of five (5) 
members each from the Senate and the House of Representatives with the 
Chairs of the Committees on Basic Education of both Houses as Co-chairs. 
The Chairs of the Committees on Higher and Technical Education of both 
Houses shall likewise be designated as members of the JCOC. The Speaker of 
the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate shall designate 
the other three (3) members of the JCOC of the House and the Senate, 
respectively, from among the members of the Committees on Basic Education, 
one (1) member of which shall be from the minority.
Sec. 24. Sunset Review. - Within five (5) years after the effectivity of this 
Act, or as the need arises, the JCOC shall conduct a sunset review. For 
purposes of this Act, the term "sunset review’’ shall mean a systematic 
evaluation by the JCOC of the implementing agencies’ performance and 
accomplishments, including the impact of this Act, for purposes of 
determining remedial legislation.
Sec. 25. Annual Report. - For a period five (5) years from the approval of 
this Act, the DepEd shall submit an annual report to the Committees on Basic 
Education of both houses of Congress on the status of the implementation of
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this Act.
Sec. 26. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days 
from the effectivity of this Act, the DepEd, in consultation with relevant 
national government agencies and other concerned stakeholders, shall issue 
the rules and regulations implementing its provisions. The Implementing 
Rules and Regulations (IRR) issued pursuant to this section shall take effect 
thirty (30) days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
Sec. 27. Separahility Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not so declared shall remain 
in force and effect.
Sec. 28. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, executive orders, 
presidential decrees, administrative orders, rules and regulations, issuances, 
or parts thereof contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
hereby repealed or amended accordingly. Except as otherwise provided in 
this Act, nothing herein contained shall repeal, amend or modify the 
provisions of R.A. No. 9258.
Sec. 29. Effectivity. - Notwithstanding the non-issuance of the IRR, 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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