NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
s. No. 179B
ol the ^ -i cl<nT
23 JAN 30 All 32
RfCElVLD BY;
Introduced by Senator MANUEL "LITO" M. LAPID
AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES OF STATE 
UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It 
affects the way we think, feel, behave, and act. It is important since it impacts our 
decision making process and how we relate to others.
Mental health promotion and early intervention strategies may produce the 
greatest impact on people's health. It may allow for more effective healthcare 
pathways by acting on the problem before the same becomes worse. It minimizes the 
impact of any potentially serious health condition. Indeed, mental health promotion 
or early intervention in young people is an investment for the future.
The Philippine WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health revealed that at least 
3.6 million Filipinos suffer from one kind of mental, neurological, and substance use 
disorder. In fact, in the Philippines, mentai illness is the third most common disability. 
The Philippines even ranked third highest rate of mental health problems in the West 
Pacific Region. Despite the alarming state of mental health, the ratio of mental health 
workers per population in the Philippines is at 2-3 per 100,000 population. Sadly, we 
fail to recognize that poor mental health can interfere with one's ability to think clearly 
and make healthy decisions. We neglect the fact that being emotionally healthy can 
promote productivity and efficiency.


Mental health problems are very common among college students. This may be 
due to the fact that attending college corresponds to a challenging time for many 
traditional and non-traditional undergraduate students. Traditional college students 
start college after completing high school, are typically younger, depend on parents 
for financial support, and do not work or work part-time. Thus, in addition to stress 
related to academic load, these students may have to face the task of taking on more 
adult-like responsibilities without having yet mastered the skills and cognitive maturity 
of adulthood.1
In recognition of the right of all Filipinos to mental health and giving particular 
attention to higher education students, this bill seeks to supplement Republic Act No. 
11035, otherwise known as the Mental Health Act, by creating 24/7 hotlines that would 
provide assistance to individuals with mental health conditions in colleges and 
universities. This bill likewise aims to strengthen the mental health services of state 
universities and colleges (SUCS) by creating Mental Health Offices in all SUCs.
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
M. LAPID
Senator
1 Pedrelli, Paola, et. al. College Students: Mental Health Problems and Treatment Considerations (2014) 
Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4527955/
2


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 1796
Senate
of the ftarr
23 JAN 30 All 32
RECEIVED BY.
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid
1 
AN ACT
2 
STRENGTHENING THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES OF STATE
3 
UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled:
4 
Section 1. Short Tide. - This Act shall be known as the "State Universities and
5 
Colleges (SUCs) Mental Health Service Act".
6 
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State
7 
to uphold the basic right of every Filipino to sound mental health and ensure access
8 
to appropriate interventions, therapy, and treatment as needed. Pursuant to this
9 
mandate, the State shall institute policies to promote the mental health and wellness
10 
of students, faculty, teaching and non-teaching staff, and other personnel in the
11 
campuses of SUCs through, among others, the establishment of a Mental Health Office
12 
in all SUCs, and the hiring, deployment, and training of additional SUCs-based mental
13 
health service personnel.
14 
All SUCs shall ensure that proper and adequate mental health services are
15 
provided to their students, faculty, non-teaching staff and other personnel. In this
16 
regard, all SUCs, through their Mental Health Offices, shall design programs and
17 
provide services that shall assist students in resolving emotional, behavioral, and
18 
psychosocial issues that are barriers to learning and enhance the preparedness of the


1 
faculty, teaching, non-teaching staff, and other personnel to foster an enabling
2 
environment for students to acquire knowledge and to develop intellectually.
3 
Section 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:
4 
Guidance counseior refers to an individual who possesses a license or
5 
certification granted by the Professionai Regulation Commission (PRC) and holds at
6 
the minimum a master's degree in Guidance and Counseling, Guidance, or Counseling,
7 
without prejudice to those registered under the grandfather's clause of Republic Act
8 
No, 9258, otherwise known as the "Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004", and is
9 
component to perform guidance and counseling, career guidance and implement
10 
mental health programs;
11 
Mental heaith refers to a state of well-being in which the individual realized
12 
one's own abilities and potentials, copers adequately with the normal stresses of life,
13 
displays resilience in the face of extreme life events, works productively and fruitfully,
14 
and is able to make a positive contribution to the community;
15 
Mentai heaith professional refers to a medical doctor, nurse, guidance
16 
counselor, psychologist, or any other appropriately-trained and qualified person with
17 
specific skills relevant to, and necessary for, the provision of mental health services;
18 
Mental health services refer to the psychosocial, psychiatric, or neurologic
19 
activities and programs along the whole range of the mental health support services
20 
including promotion, prevention, treatment, and aftercare, which are provided by
21 
mental health facilities and mental health professionals;
22 
Psychoiogistrefers to a natural person who has professional training and clinical
23 
skills in psychotherapeutic intervention and assessment for mental health programs
24 
and possesses a license or certification granted by the PRC and holds at the minimum
25 
a master's degree in Psychology without prejudice to those granted licenses under the
26 
grandfather's clause of Republic Act No. 10029, otherwise known as the "Philippine
27 
Psychology Act of 2009";


1 
SUCs-based mental health service personnel refers to any mental health
2 
professional who is hired or deployed by, or has a contract with an SUC to render
3 
mental health services in its campus.
4 
Section 4. Establishment of Mental Health Offices In all SUCs Campuses. - The
5 
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shall, subject to the rules and regulations of
6 
the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Department of Budget and Management
7 
(DBM), and the policies, standards, and guidelines of the CHED, require all SUCs to
8 
establish a Mental Health Office in all their campuses.
9 
The Mental Health Offices shall set up campus hotlines using both traditional
10 
telephone and online messaging applications with dedicated and trained guidance
11 
counselors to provide assistance to the whole SUC Community, especially the students.
12 
Special attention shall be given to those identified to have mental health problems or
13 
conditions, especially those at risk of committing suicide.
14 
The CHED and the SUCs, through their Mental Health Offices, shall initiate and
15 
sustain a heightened campaign to raise the collective consciousness about mental
16 
health. The awareness campaign shall give special emphasis to the issues of suicide
17 
prevention, stress handling, mental health and nutrition, and guidance and counseling.
18 
The campaign shall ensure that the whole SUC community, especially the students, is
19 
aware of in-campus mental health services.
20 
The SUCs, through the Mental Health Offices, shall implement mental health
21 
programs and projects designed to promote the mental health and well-being of
22 
faculty, students, and personnel alike.
23 
Each Mental Health Office shall be manned by trained mental health
24 
professionals who shall serve as the mental health service personnel of the SUCs.
25 
The SUCs-based mental health service personnel of the Mental Health Offices,
26 
including those who shall be hired upon the effectivity of this Act, shall create a
27 
mechanism for timely crisis intervention and suicide prevention and the appropriate
28 
response strategies for the whole SUCs community, especially the students.


1 
The CHED shall, in coordination with the SUCs, establish mechanism to
2 
maximize existing services offered by other executive departments such as the
3 
attached agencies to the Department of Health (DOH) dealing with mental health and
4 
the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
5 
Section 5. Hiring, Training and Depioyment of Mentai Heaith Professionais. -
6 
Subject to the guideiines set by the CHED and the SUCs, CSC and DBM, the SUCs shali
7 
hire, train and depioy mentai heaith professionals, including a psychoiogist, to the
8 
Mentai Health Office to ensure that each SUC shaii have mental health professionals
9 
or mental health service providers within five (5) years from the effectivity of this Act.
10 
The SUCs shaii, in coordination with the CHED, prepare the appropriate piantiiia
11 
positions to be submitted to the DBM for evaluation and approval for the additional
12 
SUC-based mental health service personnel to be hired under this Act, subject to the
13 
existing organizational, staffing, position classification and compensation policies,
14 
rules and regulations.
15 
Notwithstanding the provisions of Republic Act No. 9258, otherwise known as
16 
the "Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004", SUCs may hire, as may be necessary,
17 
college graduates who do not yet qualify as mental health professionals but who
18 
possess a background in psychology or similar fields to provide mental health services:
19 
Provided, That the CHED shall provide for the appropriate training and instruction of
20 
such college graduates in order for them to gain and develop the necessary skills to
21 
render counselling services to faculty, students and school personnel, and assist them
22 
in managing mental health issues: Provided, further. That such services shall be
23 
rendered under the supervision of qualified mental health professionals within the
24 
schools division: Provided, finally. That a college graduate hired to work in a Mental
25 
Health Office shall, within three (3) years from the date of employment in the SUC,
26 
secure the appropriate license to practice as a mental health professional and meet
27 
the relevant qualification requirements of their position.
28 
The CHED and the SUCs, through the Mental Health Offices, shall formulate a
29 
scheme for the continuous training of mental health service personnel, taking into
30 
consideration the latest scientific studies, psycho-social approaches and know-how on
4


1 
mental health and mental health services, in accordance with the provisions of
2 
Republic Act No. 10912, otherwise known as the "Continuing Professional
3 
Development Act of 2016".
4 
Section 6. Professional and Career Development of Mental Health Professionals.
5 
- The CHED shall, in coordination with the DBM, CSC, DOH and the PRC:
6 
Prepare a uniform career and personnel development plan that shall include
7 
provisions on personal wellness, merit promotion, performance evaluation, in-service
8 
training, graduate scholarships, research grants, and incentive award system;
9 
Match the salary grades of mental health professionals with related plantilla
10 
items under the provisions of Republic Act No. 6758, otherwise known as the
11 
"Compensation and Position Classification Act of 1898," as amended;
12 
Align the qualifications and standards for the qualification outcomes of Mental
13 
Health Professionals to the provisions of Republic Act No. 10968, otherwise known as
14 
the "Philippine Qualifications Framework Act";
15 
Revisit the organizational structure of the SUCs to provide competent and
16 
professional personnel who shall provide supervision and technical assistance to the
17 
guidance counselors;
18 
Review, revise and develop the duties and responsibilities of mental health
19 
professionals in accordance with laws governing their professions;
20 
Prepare a performance evaluation plan that considers the improvement of the
21 
efficiency and organizational effectiveness of each counselor: Provided, That each
22 
employee shall be informed regularly by their immediate supervisor of the evaluation
23 
of their performance; and
24 
Provide periodic training, aimed at retooling and upgrading the skills of mental
25 
health professionals.
26 
Section 7. Salary Scale. - The career and salary scales of mental health
27 
professionals in SUCs shall provide for a gradual progression from a minimum to a


1 
maximum salary by means of regular increments, to be given regularly based on merit
2 
and competencies.
3 
The entry level of mental health professionals shall not be lower than Salary
4 
Grade 16. Mental health professionals hired by SUCs as Psychometricians shall be
5 
hired at Salary Grade 11 at the entry level.
6 
Section 8. Contractual Hiring of Mental Health Personnel. - In case of a scarcity
7 
of mental health professionals who are available to work on a full-time basis in a
8 
Mental Health Office, the concerned SUC may hire qualified professionals on a
9 
contractual or part-time basis, subject to the evaluation and approval of the DBM.
10 
Section 9. Benefits. - All mental health professionals employed in the various
11 
Mental Health Officers shall enjoy the rights, privileges, and other benefits provided
12 
in Republic Act No. 7305, otherwise known as the "Magna Carta of Public Health
13 
Workers", Republic Act No. 11036, otherwise known as the "Mental Health Act", and
14 
other pertinent laws.
15 
Section 10. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions
16 
of this Act shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations Act.
17 
Section 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from
18 
the effectivity of this Act, the CHED shall, in coordination with the DOH, the Philippine
19 
Association of State Universities and Colleges, and other concerned stakeholders, issue
20 
rules and regulations to govern the hiring, training, and deployment guidance
21 
counselors, psychologists, and other mental health service personnel in SUCs, and for
22 
the implementation of this Act.
23 
Section 12. Suppletory Application. - The applicable provisions of Republic Act
24 
No. 11036, otherwise known as the "Mental Health Act", insofar as they are not
25 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, shall apply suppletorily.
26 
Section 13. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees,
27 
rules and regulations and other issuances contrary to or inconsistent with this Act shall
28 
be deemed repealed or modified accordingly.


1 
Section 14. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is subsequently
2 
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions hereof which are not affected
3 
thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
4 
Section 15. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the
5 
date of publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,