Rising Bullying Amid Counselor Shortage
MANILA, Philippines — The severe shortage of guidance counselors in schools continues to affect Filipino students, officials reported. Education Secretary Sonny Angara highlighted this challenge amid the growing number of bullying incidents nationwide.
During a recent House committee hearing on appropriations, Angara revealed that the country has only 4,069 licensed guidance counselors as of 2022. This figure is far below the ideal global ratio of one counselor for every 250 students, a standard that would require over 50,000 counselors nationwide, local leaders noted.
Challenges in Meeting Counselor Demand
“There’s a long-term plan, but the implementation of the mental health and well-being initiatives will cost over a trillion pesos, so it can’t be funded overnight,” Angara explained. He also pointed out a supply issue, noting that only about 32,000 psychometricians are available in the country, which limits filling the needed counselor positions.
Moreover, over 4,000 counselor vacancies budgeted for this year are unlikely to be filled within the next five years due to the low number of graduates from relevant university programs. “There are no takers in the universities,” the education secretary said, adding that some regions have reported “zero enrollees” in guidance counseling courses.
Bullying Rates Alarm Filipino Communities
Community members and representatives stressed the urgent need for more counselors as bullying rates remain alarmingly high. Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Co shared that 65 percent of Filipino students experience bullying at least a few times per month, while 40 percent face frequent bullying—double the global average of 20 percent.
Angara concurred and cited an Asian-Pacific Regional Study that labeled the Philippines as the “bullying capital of Asia.” The Department of Education recorded 2,500 bullying cases in the school year 2024–2025, surpassing the 2,268 incidents logged the previous year.
New Strategy: Counselor Associates to Bridge Gap
To address the counselor shortage, the Department of Education has scrapped over 4,000 existing positions to create more roles for counselor associates. These positions require fewer qualifications, making hiring easier and faster.
“For 2026, under the proposed National Expenditure Program, we plan to hire 10,000 student counselor associates,” Angara revealed. “They only need certain units in psychology and counseling, and other relevant courses, not necessarily a master’s degree.”
Budget Allocation and Future Outlook
Last month, the Department of Budget and Management submitted a proposed P6.7 trillion budget to the House of Representatives. The education sector stands as the largest beneficiary with an allocation of P1.224 trillion, including P928.5 billion for the Department of Education, sources said.
Despite budgetary support, experts stress that addressing the shortage of guidance counselors and tackling bullying will require sustained effort and long-term commitment.
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