To further enhance mental health support for learners, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Education (DepEd) on Friday granted scholarships under the Learning Initiatives for Nurturing Guidance Associates and Counselors Program (LINGAP).

This comes as CHED, along with DepEd and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), rolled out the 4th Joint Education Trifocal Management Committee (JETMC) Meeting at the Negros Oriental Convention Center in Dumaguete City.

In a statement, CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis said LINGAP is part of the government’s efforts to invest in support mechanisms for the well-being of learners.

“When learners feel safe, supported, and guided, they are better able to learn, make informed choices, and pursue the opportunities ahead of them,” she said.

LINGAP, a graduate scholarship support program, seeks to provide DepEd’s teaching and non-teaching personnel opportunities in the fields of guidance, counseling and psychology.

“Through LINGAP, we are investing in the professionals who can help our students navigate challenges and move forward with confidence,” Agrupis said.

Under the program, scholars’ tuition and other school fees are covered.

LINGAP also provides a PHP30,000 monthly living allowance, as well as a research allowance of up to PHP150,000, subject to applicable scholarship policies.

Out of the 327 nominees shortlisted for academic year 2026 to 2027, around 230 scholars were selected following DepEd’s identification, evaluation and validation processes.

Scholars, meanwhile, are expected to take the applicable professional licensure examination upon completing their graduate studies.

Under the 2026 General Appropriations Act, LINGAP has opened 870 scholarship slots, with about PHP182.055 million in fund allocation.

Besides LINGAP, the three agencies also launched other key programs such as the Localized Access Pathways and Institutional Transitions (LAPIT) Index and the Integrated Ladderized Education-to-Employment Pathways (ILEEP).

The LAPIT index is a tool that collects data on the gaps in learners’ education pathways, while ILEEP is a system designed to offer alternative pathways from education to employment aside from the traditional four-year college route.

For his part, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the program responds to the long-standing shortage of guidance counselors, which he attributed partly to low salaries and stringent licensure requirements.

He recalled that while serving as a senator, he learned that some regions had no guidance counselors and no students pursuing the profession, leaving schools with limited capacity to address learners’ mental health concerns.

“We have long been planning this (program) due to the lack of guidance counselors and as such, our policy-makers are looking for ways to address the problem,” Angara said in mixed English and Filipino.

He stressed that addressing learners’ mental health requires a shared responsibility among education agencies, teachers, guidance counselors and students.

“No matter how skilled we are in pedagogy, no matter how many degrees or awards we have for being centers of excellence or for being outstanding professors, if our learners do not feel that we care about them, if our learners do not feel seen, if there is no connection between those teaching and being taught, I think we have not done our job adequately,” he said.

As of January, the country had about 5,000 guidance counselors, fewer than 1,000 of whom were serving in the Department of Education (DepEd), which oversees around 45,000 schools, Agrupis said.

LINGAP, which means “care,” is a joint initiative of the DepEd and CHED that provides scholarship opportunities for DepEd personnel pursuing graduate studies in guidance and counseling or psychology.

About 800 scholarship slots are available nationwide, with 230 teacher-scholars making up the program’s first batch.

Nine of the scholars are from the Negros Island Region and received their awards during Friday’s ceremony.

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Secretary-General Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez said LINGAP is a step in the right direction in addressing learners’ mental health concerns.

He encouraged the 230 scholars to maximize the opportunity, noting that many aspiring students lack the financial resources to pursue further studies and acquire additional skills. (PNA)