Senatorial bet Camille Villar urged the government to institutionalize intervention measures in the education sector to promote the mental health and well-being of students.
She also pushed for efforts to prevent mental health disorders that lead to school bullying, among others, in learning institutions.
“It is important to protect the mental wellness of our students, especially given the influence of peer pressure and discrimination in schools that often lead to bullying,” Villar said.
To address the uptick in incidents of school bullying, Villar said learning institutions should hire more guidance counselors to do regular consultations with students and assess their mental well-being.
Villar also said it is important to improve the mental health access and therapist services not only in schools.
The lawmaker in 2023 filed House Resolution No. 900 asking the Committees on Health and Basic Education of the House of Representatives to look into the status of mental health in the education sector in particular, and the population in general to raise mental health awareness and determine the extent of mental health crisis in the country.
Improving the education sector is a top priority agenda in her campaign to win a Senate seat in the May 12 elections, Villar said.
“I believe that education is a great fiscalizer that is why we have to ensure the well-being of our students,” Villar said.
Aside from ensuring the mental well-being of students, Villar has also filed House Bill No. 10933, or the proposed Teacher’s Mental Health and Wellness Act, to provide holistic support to all educators in the country.
She likewise filed House Bill No. 10934 which proposes the inclusion of mental health disorders in the benefit packages of PhilHealth.