Support That Begins Before a Crisis
BACOLOD - The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod approved a resolution calling on the DepEd Schools Division of Bacolod City, Commission on Higher Education, City Health Office, Department of Social Services and Development, and public and private schools to strengthen school-based mental health programs. The measure also calls for stronger guidance and counseling services, anti-bullying mechanisms, and early-intervention and referral systems for students needing psychosocial support. This builds on an earlier Bacolod effort in June, when the City Council also urged schools to reinforce anti-bullying policies, functional Child Protection Committees, counseling services, confidential reporting channels, and mental health awareness activities. Taken together, the measures point toward a school environment where concerns can be addressed before they become more serious.
Bacolod Extends Compassion Beyond Its Own Schools
The City Council's response also included solidarity with the Ateneo de Zamboanga community following the August 18 shooting at the university's Junior High School campus. Philippine authorities reported that two students died, while other members of the school community were injured, prompting national attention on campus safety and learner protection. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed sympathy for the victims and directed authorities to investigate the incident while strengthening measures designed to keep schools safe. Education Secretary Sonny Angara also traveled to Zamboanga City to meet with school officials, authorities, and law enforcement, with support for the affected school community identified as an immediate concern.
A School Should Be a Place Where Students Can Ask for Help
What makes Bacolod's resolution encouraging is its attention to the quieter side of student protection: making support available before a young person reaches a breaking point. Counseling, confidential reporting, early intervention, and mental health education can give students more avenues to speak about bullying, distress, or other difficulties they may encounter. The city's June resolution similarly emphasized that families, schools, government agencies, social workers, health professionals, and communities share responsibility for protecting children. Bacolod's latest action therefore adds another layer to that approach, connecting physical school safety with the everyday need for students to feel heard and supported. It is a positive step toward making student welfare part of the ordinary work of education rather than something considered only after a crisis.
