Police officers retrieve the bodies of two students who were killed in a shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on Monday morning, June 22, 2026. — Photo courtesy of RMN Tacloban
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) will hire more guidance counselors to deter violence in school premises following a series of crimes committed by minor students in different parts of the country.
DepEd Undersecretary Malcolm Garma on Thursday said school counselors serve as a crucial intervention, giving students the confidence to talk about their thoughts, feelings and other mental health concerns before turning to violence.
“We think that when expression is more open, communication inside schools can minimize or mitigate the violence they may be thinking of doing, but because of counseling, may not push through,” Garma told state-run PTV-4 in an interview.
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