Romualdez Champions Regional Mental Health ‘Rapid-Response’ Network Following Tacloban School Tragedy
In the wake of the heartbreaking tragedy at San Jose National High School, Leyte 1st District Representative Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez is spearheading the creation of a regional rapid-response network of mental health and child protection professionals to safeguard students and fortify school safety. Following an urgent meeting at the Price Mansion on Monday with officials from CHED, DepEd, DOH, and DSWD, Romualdez outlined a decisive three-pronged directive focused on immediate crisis deployment and long-term violence prevention.
Under this new action plan, the government will first mobilize a regional coalition of volunteer psychologists, psychiatrists, guidance counselors, and social workers who can be deployed instantly during school emergencies. Second, the initiative will institutionalize regular seminars for students, parents, and teachers focusing on mental wellness, child protection, and proactive violence prevention. Third, the plan mandates a tighter coordination pipeline among all participating departments to ensure swift, unified intervention whenever a child is in distress.
“Hindi sapat ang makiramay lang. May pananagutan tayong kumilos,” Romualdez stressed, extending his deepest condolences to the families of the victims. “We called this meeting to discuss not only immediate assistance for those affected today, but to ensure a tragedy like this never happens again.”
Rejecting the idea that Congress should remain on the sidelines, Romualdez emphasized that lawmakers have a fundamental duty to bridge systemic gaps, align budgets, and unite various sectors to protect the youth. Rather than reducing the incident to a single cause while the official investigation continues, the lawmaker noted that school violence often stems from an overlapping ecosystem of factors including mental health struggles, bullying, family environment, and digital exposure.
To address these complex issues comprehensively, Romualdez is eyeing a series of legislative solutions. These systemic reforms include expanding school-based mental health initiatives, funding the hiring of more professional guidance counselors and social workers, strengthening Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) programs, and reviewing regulatory safeguards for minors using social media platforms.
The safety of our children is a shared national duty that belongs to the entire government, schools, parents, and the community alike, Romualdez concluded, adding that the country cannot afford to wait for another incident before fixing the gaps in child protection systems.
