In my capacity as Chairperson of the House Committee on the Welfare of Children and as a Psychology alumna (ADMU Class of 2011), I express my deep condolences to the family and friends of the University of the East senior high school student who passed away under tragic circumstances on Monday. My condolences as well to the UE community.

BHW Party-list is already in touch with the Department of Social Welfare and Development to reach out to the bereaved family and friends for counseling interventions needed to assist them through this crisis in their lives. We are getting in touch with the bereaved family to extend to them the appropriate assistance we can extend.

This tragedy, similar tragedies, and the incidents of assaults involving children and students in conflict with the law require targeted responses and preventive solutions.

More and more young Filipinos and even adults have, in recent times, been resorting to drastic tragic measures under the tremendous stress and strain of personal trials of emotional, social and economic nature.

These situations entail more readily available solutions and accessible healing professionals such as guidance counselors, peer counselors, psychologists and psychiatrists. At the community and campus levels, there is an urgent need to effectively implement the Mental Health Act or Republic Act 11036 as more students return to their campuses for in-person face-to-face classes, after more than two years of isolation in their homes.