The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines urges the government to strengthen mental health and student support services in public schools, saying the recent incident involving a 14-year-old student in Leyte should not be used to justify tougher punitive measures against minors.

The teachers' group said authorities should treat threats against schools seriously but cautioned against viewing the incident primarily as a law enforcement issue after investigators found no verified or imminent threat of an actual attack.

"The safety and well-being of learners, teachers, and school personnel must always be the foremost consideration. Any threat of violence in schools warrants immediate attention and appropriate intervention," ACT Chairperson Ruby Bernardo said.

"However, the response must be guided by facts and by a genuine concern for the welfare of children, not by reflexive calls for more punitive policies," she added.

Police earlier reported that the student allegedly created a fake social media account and posted threats that were later determined to have been intended to attract the attention of friends and family. Authorities also said the student was experiencing personal and family problems and that there was no evidence of an impending attack.

Citing the findings, ACT said the case underscores the need for stronger guidance and psychosocial support services in schools.

"Instead of using this incident to revive discussions on harsher measures against minors, government should confront the longstanding deficiencies in our education and social welfare systems," Bernardo said.

It also renewed its appeal for the government to hire at least 150,000 teachers, construct 165,000 classrooms, and employ 300,000 education support personnel, including guidance counselors, school nurses, and security personnel.

More counselors

Meanwhile, the Department of Education (DepEd) is set to recruit more school counselor associates as part of efforts to strengthen mental health services and prevent violence in public schools following several recent incidents involving students.

“We think that when expression is more open, communication inside schools can minimize or mitigate the violence they may be thinking of doing, but because of counseling, may not push through,” DepEd Undersecretary Malcolm Garma said in a television interview.

DepEd data showed that, as of 2022, only 4,069 licensed counselors were serving approximately 27.4 million elementary and secondary students, leaving one counselor for about 6,700 learners—far below the internationally recommended ratio of one for every 250 students.

Garma said the shortage has persisted because existing laws require guidance counselors to meet stringent licensing and educational requirements. 

Under the Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004 (Republic Act No. 9258), practitioners must either pass the Professional Regulation Commission's licensure examination or qualify under other provisions, such as possessing a master's degree in guidance and counseling.

To ease the shortage, DepEd will instead hire school counselor associates, a position established under the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act of 2024 (Republic Act No. 12080). 

Unlike licensed guidance counselors, applicants for the new position need only hold a bachelor's degree, allowing the department to deploy more personnel to provide counseling and other student support services in schools.