The University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) and the Department of Education (DepEd), through the Schools Division Office of Manila (SDO Manila), formalized on Wednesday a partnership to advance mental health literacy in public secondary schools.
In a news release on Thursday, the UPM noted that the signed memorandum of agreement (MOA) aims to address the rising incidence of mental health concerns among adolescents.
The initiative underscores the university’s role in promoting evidence-based and community-driven approaches to improving mental well-being in schools.
The partnership will focus on the development and pilot implementation of learning materials to enhance mental health literacy among junior high school students and their teachers.
The implementation is scheduled for 2026, with findings to be presented to the DepEd Central Office for possible nationwide adoption.
“The project aims to deliver mental health literacy lessons to junior high school students. We want to see if there will be an improvement in mental health literacy among the students,” UP Manila College of Public Health Department of Environment and Occupational Health professor Crystal Amiel Estrada said.
”The modules do not teach about the diagnosis of mental disorders but to help learners recognize early warning signs and enable them to seek help early if needed,” she added.
UP Manila Chancellor Michael Tee emphasized the collaboration as part of the university’s continuing commitment to health leadership and community engagement.
“In addressing mental health challenges within our schools, it is essential to actively involve parents and teachers’ associations,” he said.
“The best practices we will develop through this partnership with DepEd shall serve as a model we can replicate across the country,” he added.
The mental health literacy program builds on a project conceptualized in 2019 through a collaboration between UPM and the Japan Institute for Health Security, which developed educational modules and multimedia tools on mental health.
These materials will be pilot-tested in selected Manila schools as part of the ongoing initiative.
UPM’s Department of Health Promotion and Education Chair Ernesto Gregorio said the program will expand into a model for a Comprehensive Health Promoting School in partnership with the World Health Organization and the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education – Regional Tropical Medicine and Public Health Network.
Gregorio, who is also coordinator of the Dr. Stephen Zuellig Program on Health Leadership and Governance, noted that the “leadership capacity building of principals to respond to health issues in schools will be a major strategy.”
SDO Manila public schools district supervisor Arlen Gatpo thanked the UPM-CPH for the collaboration, as it would provide teachers support in responding to students’ mental health concerns.
”We are very much willing to help our students, but sometimes, we do not know how to start or what to say. We don’t know how to approach our students,” she said.
Gatpo reported that anxiety, depression, and bullying remain among the most common issues affecting students.
The 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) identified the Philippines as having one of the highest bullying rates globally, with 65 percent of Grade 10 students reporting incidents a few times a month.
DepEd data also showed that only 11 percent, or 38 out of 339, bullying cases were resolved from November 2022 to July 2024.
The partnership aligns with the government’s efforts to institutionalize mental health promotion in schools under Republic Act 12080, or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act, signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in 2024.
DepEd released the law’s Implementing Rules and Regulations last March.
The partnership also coincided with the celebration of National Mental Health Week in the country, observed every second week of October pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 452, s. 1994.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) reminded the public that mental health is just as important as physical health.
In a Facebook post, also on Thursday, PhilHealth urged everyone to take care of themselves in a complete and holistic manner, to be open to conversations, and not to be afraid to ask for help when needed.
To improve mental health, it advised Filipinos to:
- Stay active and spend quality time with family and friends.
- Get eight hours of sleep every day.
- Share your feelings with someone you trust.
- Eat nutritious food
- Seek professional help when necessary.
The state insurer offers an outpatient benefits package for mental health that covers conditions such as depression, psychosis, epilepsy, child and adolescent mental and behavioral disorders, dementia, and self-harm or suicide risks, among others.
PhilHealth Circular 2023-0018 states that members and dependents aged 10 and above can access services like initial assessments, follow-up consultations, diagnostic tests, and psychosocial support.
The state insurer provides annual coverage of PHP9,000 for general mental health services and PHP16,000 for specialized care. (PNA)