LAWMAKERS on Monday raised concerns over the shortage of guidance counselors in public schools, as the Department of Education (DepEd) said about half of the 10,000 school counselor associate positions created for 2026 had reached the appointment stage.
DepEd Director Dexter A. Galban told the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture that the remaining positions were at various stages of recruitment, with some applicants already interviewed and their documents under review.
He said the department was prioritizing highly urbanized areas and large schools, where bullying cases require additional support for teachers and students.
Pasig Rep. Roman T. Romulo, who chairs the committee, said the positions were created to address the shortage of registered guidance counselors, whose qualifications include professional registration and a master’s degree.
He said that when Congress passed the law creating the school counselor associate position, the country had only 5,001 registered guidance counselors despite DepEd operating approximately 47,000 schools.
“In truth, there is a real shortage of RGCs (registered guidance counselors) across the entire Philippines,” Mr. Romulo said in Filipino.
Under the new arrangement, college graduates with at least 18 units in behavioral science and the required training may qualify as school counselor associates without initially being registered guidance counselors, he said.
Mr. Romulo said DepEd had committed during a committee meeting to fill the positions by December, although recruitment would need to comply with Civil Service Commission qualification standards.
DepEd Assistant Secretary Roger B. Masapol said the department was training teaching and non-teaching personnel to recognize behavioral warning signs among students and identify those who may need intervention.
He also said DepEd was preparing a nationwide mental health caravan with the National Center for Mental Health.
Following shooting incidents in Tacloban, Zamboanga and Cotabato, the department had mobilized trained psychological first-aid providers with assistance from the Department of Health and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Mr. Masapol said some teachers continued to experience fear after the incidents, while some students were reluctant to return to school.
The department was also strengthening parental involvement through its Kaagapay program, which aims to help parents better understand their children’s behavior, including their online activities. — Pexcel John Bacon