ON JUNE 22, two high school students – “Nash” and “Rod” with guns in their possession — planned their shooting incident inside a toilet of the San Jose National High School for one hour after the flag ceremony, after which they roamed the school and at 9:20 a.m. started firing aimlessly. As a result, four (based on the account of the first responders, the Philippine Red Cross) died and 20 injuries were rushed to nearby hospitals.
Alias “Nash” was arrested on the crime scene with his caliber 38 (with only one fired bullet) and alias “Rod” was taken to the police by people who saw him while trying to escape with his Glock rifle with only three unfired bullets, the Philippine National Police update said.
Just today two separate stabbing incidents took place one after the other: the first in a private school in Gen. Trias, Cavite with the suspect a Grade 8 student entering the Grade 5 classroom and aimlessly swinging the kitchen knife on his hand. Seven victims were brought to the hospital for treatment. The suspect, police surmised, could have been under depressive condition. The second stabbing took place at the Cavite National High School by an 18 year old who had a previous grudge that apparently resurfaced towards a schoolmate.
They had a boxing spar, which brought injuries to the suspect, who immediately took the kitchen knife from his shoes and hurled at the victim, who was rushed to the Cavite City component hospital. The suspect could not escape as he was wounded from the boxing.
The police who investigated the Tacloban shooting spree last Monday opined that the shooting was inspired by the violent online content that alias “Nash” stashed in his phone. There were several other violent reels that police viewed from his phone.
Police are now monitoring the two Tacloban shooters who were surrendered to the social services for psychosocial evaluation.
In recent months, several shooting incidents have been reported online from the United States and other countries, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. Such news content could have triggered the imagination of Filipino youth– especially those who complain about depression and campus bullying. (But why do they have to copy such violence from online contents coming from abroad?)
The Philippines has very strict gun control laws and tighter laws against bullying, fraternity hazing and other campus violence. Filipinos regard the school as the child’s second home, therefore not bereft of security, safe spaces and protection.
But are they really? I don’t think so, especially not under cramped and congested public school settings.
On December 9, 2024, the President signed into law RA 12080 or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act which institutionalizes comprehensive mental health initiatives for basic education institutions, aiming to foster awareness, prevention and suppoet for the well-being of students.
This law provides services as mental health screenings, crisis responses, and referrals, while also focusing on suicide prevention. As part of the initiative, every public school will establish a Care Center equipped to deliver mental health services, including counseling and monitoring, and provide necessary support for learners and staff. Additionally, a Mental Health and Well-Being Office will be set up in every Schools Division Office (SDO) to oversee and implement these programs effectively.
But, the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) reported a severe shortage of mental health professionals in schools. The ratio of guidance counselors to students in many public schools is alarmingly low, with one counselor often responsible for thousands of students, leaving many without access to adequate support. To address this, the law created new plantilla positions for School Counselors, Counselor Associates, and Schools Division Counselors.
Another pressing concern is the implementation of anti-bullying policies. As of 2024, more than 10,000 public schools in the Philippines still do not have localized anti-bullying policies in place, despite the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013. This absence has contributed to the Philippines recording the highest rates of bullying among students in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018, where 65% of Filipino students reported being victims of bullying at least a few times a month.
Then EDCOM 2 chair Sen. Win Gatchalian,who co-authored the law, emphasized that these statistics demonstrate an urgent need to prioritize mental health and bullying prevention measures in schools. “This law seeks to address gaps in the education system’s ability to support student mental health, especially since the Philippines has the highest reported cases of bullying among students in the world. We hope to ensure a safer, more supportive environment for Filipino learners,” he said.
However, the real work begins with ensuring that this law is implemented effectively across our schools, especially in those that currently lack both anti-bullying policies and mental health practitioners,” said Representative Roman Romulo, co-author of the measure, and EDCOM 2 co-chair..
Aside from RA 12080, there is the Mental Health Act (RA11036) that requires educational institutions to have age-appropriate mental health programs and policies against bullying, integrating mental health awareness into their curriculum and providing support services for at-risk students; RA 11206 or the Secondary School Career Guidance and Counseling act that establishes a National Career Guidance and Counseling Program (CGCP) in all secondary schools to assist students with tertiary education choices and labor market exposure; and RA 9258 or the Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004 professionalizing the field by requiring individuals to pass the licensure examination to practice as Guidance Counselors, though recent laws permit trained Counselor Associates to assist.
DepEd Order No. 53 of 2024 or the implementing guidelines for Counseling and Referral System for Learners institutionalizes localized referral pathways and requires school heads to designate a registered counselor or trained guidance advocate.
The DepEd was given P2.9 billion to hire “School Counselor Associates,” that bypassed the strict master’s degree requirement for professional counselors by instead hiring college graduates with relevant training to quickly fill critical mental health gaps in public schools.
The Tacloban incident—along with recent stabbings—has pressured lawmakers to enforce stronger safety protocols. Senate hearings discussed on the Bilyonaryo channel revealed that roughly half of Grade 5 students experience bullying monthly, prompting calls from Senators Erwin and Raffy Tulfo to aggressively increase counseling support and install anonymous reporting systems.nology