DepEd Flags 'Mental Health Epidemic' Among Filipino Youth

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday warned that a ‘mental health epidemic’ is currently happening among Filipino youth, following a series of school-related violence over the past months. “We must acknowledge that there is a mental health epidemic among our youth today, and we must look to the roots of this and understand it,” Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara said in a news release. “Otherwise, I hesitate to say, more people might get hurt. We have to acknowledge it, and we need to do something about it,” he added. The agency noted that teachers play a crucial role in strengthening mental health initiatives, saying they fill the “emotional gaps” for isolated or unacknowledged learners. “We acknowledge the academic gains made by our teachers, but in terms of addressing the emotional problems of our children, we still have crucial work to do,” Mr. Angara said. The Education chief also urged teachers to act as ‘foster parents’ and build stronger interpersonal connections with students who are vulnerable to harmful online influences. “For those who are very susceptible to influence from whatever they see online, and those who are looking for validation from their families but perhaps do not receive it, let us give them that as their foster parents at school,” Mr. Angara said. “Let’s give them the love and attention. If they achieve something, let’s recognize and acknowledge it,” he added in Filipino. “This is a wake-up call for all of us in DepEd to be aware of the problem and take positive steps to address it.” Over the past three months, three school shootings across the country took the lives of eight students and wounded several others. While investigations into the incidents are underway, authorities are looking at their connection to online and social media platforms. According to Banga Municipal Mayor Albert Palencia, the 16-year-old shooter at Banga National High School in South Cotabato was allegedly part of an online social media group called “True Crime Community,” or TCC, where posts about school shootings were reportedly shared. Mr. Palencia said that such exposure to online content may have influenced his violent behavior. The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) on Tuesday ordered a 24-hour ultimatum to digital platforms Discord and Reddit to establish local offices in the Philippines, following a push for stricter online safety among young users. Both platforms were instructed to submit written implementation plans on age-verification systems, rapid-response mechanisms and measures to curb child sexual abuse and violent content. Lawmakers also urged tech giant Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to establish a physical office in the country amid concerns over scams, fake accounts and exploitative content.