(DepEd)

House Deputy Speaker Las Piñas City lone district Rep. Camille Villar has filed a bill in the House of Representatives that aims to provide holistic support for teachers by establishing programs and services for their mental health and well-being.

Through House Bill (HB) No.10933, or the proposed Teacher's Mental Health and Wellness Act, Villar said teachers’ mental, emotional, and psychological health will be given the same importance as their professional development.

“The mental health of our teachers greatly affects their effectiveness, not only in their personal lives but also, and most importantly, in their functions in molding our students,” Villar said in a statement on Tuesday, Oct. 3.  

“The teacher's collective health influences our student's overall development,” she added.

Under the measure, the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) are tasked to create and promote programs that would help improve the welfare and well-being of educators.

These agencies shall coordinate with the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Mental Health Association (PMHA) in formulating the said programs.

Based on the measure, these programs shall include regular mental health assessments every school semester, counseling sessions, and stress-reduction programs, among others.

In addition, services shall likewise be created that would provide access to peer support groups and mentoring programs, conduct periodic seminars, and encourage teachers of work-life balance.

Furthermore, mental health and wellness liaisons within schools or regions will likewise be mandated. These personnel will assist and connect teachers to mental health care providers as needed, and will also monitor the progress of the mental health-related programs.

According to Villar, the DepEd, CHEd, TESDA, DOH, and PMHA shall conduct a yearly monitoring and evaluation of the programs and services to ensure their effectiveness.

HB No.10933 proposes that funding necessary to implement such programs and services shall be included in the annual budget of the DepEd, CHEd, TESDA, and DOH.

“Mahalagang siguruhin natin ang mental wellness ng ating mga guro. Nais natin laging tiyakin na sila ay nasa hustong estado ng pag-iisip, lalo pa’t alam naman natin ang stress na dala ng kanilang trabaho,” said Villar.

(It is important that we ensure the mental wellness of our teachers. We always want to make sure they are in a good state of mind, especially since we know the stress that their job brings.)