The Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday, July 8, announced that it is scaling up the Healthy Learning Institutions (HLI) program to transform public schools into health-promoting campuses nationwide.

From remote mountain barangays to crowded urban classrooms, over 1,500 public schools have already undergone health-focused improvements through the OK sa DepEd–HLI initiative — a multi-agency effort led by DepEd and the Department of Health (DOH), with support from LGUs, local communities, and other national agencies.

As the program moves beyond its initial rollout, DepEd said the national onboarding sessions on July 14–15 will train school heads and health officers on how to implement the HLI framework effectively.

Key tools such as the School Self-Appraisal Checklist and a nationwide “Map of Materials” for health promotion are being distributed to all participating schools.

DepEd also said it is finalizing a DepEd Order to institutionalize the HLI program, expected to be released later this year.

The order will formalize the three-star school health rating system and align the HLI within DepEd’s broader Learner Support Framework.

“Hindi lang dapat ligtas sa sakuna ang paaralan. Dapat ligtas din sa gutom, sa sakit, at sa kawalan ng suporta (Schools should not only be safe from disasters. They must also be safe from hunger, illness, and lack of support),” said DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara.

“Sa Healthy Learning Institutions program, tinitiyak nating may sapat na kaalaman, kalusugan, at malasakit sa bawat silid-aralan (Through the Healthy Learning Institutions program, we are ensuring that every classroom is filled with knowledge, health, and compassion),” he added.

The HLI initiative follows Joint Administrative Order No. 2022-0001, signed by DepEd, DOH, CHED, DILG, DSWD, TESDA, and LEB.

It operationalizes Section 30 of the Universal Health Care Act, positioning schools as healthy settings under World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

Participating schools are assessed using a six-pillar framework and a three-tier recognition system introduced in 2024, classifying them as Satisfactory, Very Satisfactory, or Outstanding based on compliance with health standards.

To date, over 1,300 of the participating schools are “Last Mile” schools — often located in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

Many have received direct financial and technical support from the DOH for improvements in hygiene facilities, mental health training, and access to health services.

DepEd cited Taguiporo Elementary School in Bantay, Ilocos Sur, as one shining example.

Once classified as a “Last Mile School” with limited access to sanitation and health services, it now boasts gender-sensitive and PWD-friendly toilets, an expanded feeding program, and mental and dental health services.

A P100,000 grant helped fund these upgrades, along with a thriving backyard garden that now supports students and their families.

“Dati, marami sa mga bata ang may sakit at laging umaabsent. Pero ngayon, mas healthy, mas masaya, at mas involved na rin ang mga parents (Before, many of the children were often sick and frequently absent. But now, they’re healthier, happier, and the parents are more involved too),” said Principal Teresita Peredo.

“Makikita mo sa ngiti ng mga bata ang tagumpay (You can see success in the children’s smiles),” she added.

DepEd, in partnership with DOH and DILG, said it is also preparing new guidelines on school-based reproductive and mental health services, as well as emergency response protocols for disease outbreaks.

These steps aim to fortify schools as both educational spaces and critical hubs for child well-being.

As the HLI program continues to grow, DepEd said it underscores a simple but powerful truth: healthy schools build stronger communities.