Republic Act 12080, or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Protection Act, that seeks to establish a comprehensive school-based mental health program for all public and private basic education institutions and creates new plantilla posts for school counselors, was recently enacted into law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
It also seeks to institutionalize school-based mental health services for basic education learners, and teaching and non-teaching personnel, such as screening, evaluation, monitoring of mental well-being, mental health first aid, crisis response, and referral systems.
The President noted that 17 percent of young Filipinos have contemplated taking their lives, but less than one percent have sought professional help. He said the new law seeks to bridge the gap by embedding mental health services directly into schools, which he described as the “nation’s first line of defense against mental health issues.”
He also cited data stating that mental health challenges could cost the world $16 trillion in losses by 2030, and hopes that the Act will help reduce those losses.
The Department of Education welcomed the new law, hoping it could help schools address the alarming number of suicides and attempts by school-aged children recorded in the last school year. Data from DepEd showed that of the 254 suicide cases among students recorded during SY 2023-24, 80 were in elementary school, 113 in junior high school, and 61 in senior high school.
In a country where guidance counselors and mental health practitioners are lacking, especially in schools, the new law gives hope that it can be a catalyst in reversing the trend. However, as the human resources that will be crucial in addressing this issue are not yet available, it will take time before its impact can be felt. Hopefully our government will have the patience and determination to see it through, as this well-meaning law will need lots of that before it can have a significant impact on the mental health of a populous nation filled with young people such as the Philippines.*
