The recent spate of school-based violence has prompted calls to expedite the hiring of school guidance counselors and associates in public schools, who are facing a dire shortage in recent years despite having a substantial budget.

Senate President Win Gatchalian pressed the Department of Education on Thursday to swiftly put to use over P2 billion earmarked in this year’s budget to reduce, if not completely meet, the gap. 

"We allocated funds for the hiring of school counselor associates to guide students in developing good character and to ensure their mental and emotional well-being," Gatchalian stressed.

His call followed the 22 June fatal shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on Monday, killing at least three students and injuring seven others, two of whom are critical and still in the intensive care unit.

The suspects, ages 14 and 15, are also students at the same school and are now in police custody. 

Initial reports alleged that the minor suspects were motivated by a “grudge” over bullying, though police are still verifying this as the probe develops.

Cases of school bullying in the National Capital Region alone surged from 2,268 in 2023 to 2024 to 2,500 in the last school year (2024 to 2025), based on the DepEd’s data.

This, despite the enactment of the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act (RA 12080) signed by President Marcos Jr. in December 2024. 

Data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education, or EDCOM II, showed that bullying is most prevalent in highly congested public schools, driven by discriminatory teacher behavior and lower levels of institutional discipline.

Since 2019, the Philippines has been grappling with a severe shortage of guidance counselors, which proponents said could have helped address the increasing mental health concerns among students.

Licensed guidance counselors in the country were pegged at only 4,069 as of 2019, according to DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara. The figure was a far cry from more than 50,000 needed to meet the 1:250 student-counselor ratio.

The DAILY TRIBUNE reached out to DepEd regarding the current status of the shortage, but has yet to receive a response as of press time.

Angara attributed the staggering shortage to the lack of takers of guidance counseling programs in the universities, noting that some regions even recorded zero enrollees.

Only those with a master’s degree in guidance and counseling are eligible for the post. To address the scarcity, the DepEd removed such a requirement and allowed the hiring of counselor associates, but the initiative has made little to no progress.

Approximately 15,000 school counselor associates must be hired before the year ends to reduce the staggering gap.