Quezon City Rep. Patrick Michael Vargas has filed House Bill No. 3397, or the proposed Campus Mental Health Improvement Act, to strengthen universities’ and colleges’ response to bullying and provide wider access to mental health interventions.
The measure would allow higher education institutions to apply for grants from CHEd by submitting detailed plans on outreach, services, training, and evaluation of mental health programs.
Grants may be used for prevention, early intervention, treatment, outreach, and anti-stigma activities, including training staff and supporting student groups that promote wellness.
Vargas stressed that most existing policies focus on basic education, even though bullying and its psychological impact persist into college years, citing DepEd data that recorded 404 student suicides and 2,147 attempts in SY 2021–2022.
He emphasized that investing in mental health services for students is crucial since they will form the country’s future workforce.
Source: PhilNews24 | August 20, 2025
