Senator and EDCOM 2 Commissioner Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday, January 8, said more than ₱182 million has been allocated for postgraduate scholarships to help address the severe shortage of mental health and inclusive education professionals in the country’s education system.
“The historic budget we allotted to the education sector for 2026 includes investments that will support inclusive education and uphold the mental health and well-being of our learners,” Gatchalian said in a statement.
“These scholarships to support future guidance counselors, therapists, and other allied health professionals are consistent with the progressive realization of promoting mental health in basic education and supporting inclusive education for learners with disabilities,” he added.
Under the Fiscal Year 2026 General Appropriations Act, funds coursed through the Commission on Higher Education include specialized postgraduate scholarships for Department of Education personnel, with ₱121.37 million allocated to support at least two employees per Schools Division Office and another ₱60.68 million earmarked for inclusive education specialists.
The law also requires scholarship recipients to enter into a return service agreement, committing them to serve in public schools or government health facilities for a period equivalent to the years they received the scholarship, with priority given to underserved areas.
EDCOM 2 data cited in the statement showed that during the 2023–2024 school year, there were fewer than 300 graduates nationwide for a Master of Arts in Guidance Counseling, underscoring what Gatchalian described as a critical gap in professional supply.
“True inclusivity in education means having the right people on the ground,” said Rep. Roman Romulo, noting that the goal is to staff Schools Division Offices and Inclusive Learning Resource Centers with multidisciplinary teams of guidance counselors, psychologists, and therapists.
The statement also said priority under the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Merit Scholarship Program will be given to undergraduates in Educational Psychology, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Language Pathology to fulfill the staffing requirements of Inclusive Learning Resource Centers mandated under RA 11650.
Complementing the initiative, the Teacher Education Council received ₱103 million for scholarships addressing teacher specialization mismatches, with EDCOM 2 Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee saying, “We cannot expect quality education if our educators are not equipped with the right expertise.”
