‍MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian called for stronger efforts to address the shortage of mental health professionals in the country following recent fatal shooting incidents in schools.

Gatchalian said the Philippines needs to produce more graduates who are qualified to provide mental health programs and services in schools and communities.

He also expressed support for the Department of Health’s plan to train and certify healthcare workers to provide initial mental health interventions, particularly in areas where access to specialists remains limited.

According to Gatchalian, mental health services should not be treated as a privilege and must be made accessible to students and communities nationwide.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education said it needs around 48,000 school counselor associates across the country to strengthen mental health and psychosocial support for students.

However, only 10,000 positions are covered under the 2026 national budget.

DepEd is aiming to assign at least one school counselor associate to every school as part of efforts to improve access to mental health services and provide students with timely psychosocial support.

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