AMID the alarming rise in campus bullying cases, Quezon City 5th District Representative and House Majority Leader PM Vargas is pushing for the passage of the Campus Mental Health Improvement Act under House Bill No. 3397.

According to the Department of Education, thousands of bullying cases are reported annually, ranging from physical assaults to cyberbullying.

Vargas cited DepEd data showing that in school year 2021–2022 alone, there were 404 reported student suicides and 2,147 suicide attempts — highlighting the urgent need for accessible and responsive mental health services in higher education.

The lawmaker noted that only 2% of schools nationwide have fully functioning Child Protection Committees, and most focus primarily on younger learners.

“Many of these children will eventually enter college still carrying the trauma of bullying,” Vargas said.

House Bill 3397 seeks to address this gap by mandating the establishment of comprehensive mental and behavioral health services in colleges and universities; proper training for faculty, staff, and student leaders to detect and respond to mental health concerns; and awareness campaigns to combat stigma and encourage students to seek help.

Vargas emphasized that investing in students’ mental health is not only a moral duty but also an economic necessity.

“When our college students are mentally healthy, they grow into resilient professionals and responsible citizens,” he said.