Cebu City officials report a major shortfall in school mental health staffing, saying only seven registered guidance counselors currently serve public elementary and high schools. Councilor Paul Labra, who chairs the Cebu City Council’s Committee on Public Order and Safety, says the gap comes into focus after consultations among city officials, educators, police, and mental health experts reviewing school safety measures following the June 22 school shooting in Tacloban City. That attack killed three students and injured 20 others.
Labra states that as of the consultations, Cebu City has fewer than 10 employed DepEd guidance counselors, with the exact number identified as seven. The reports describe the counselors as covering around 70 public elementary and high schools, with one account citing coverage of about 107 schools. Officials link the staffing problem to broader efforts to strengthen school protection and support systems for students, including mental health services, as part of the post-incident review.
