Written by: Dr. Donnavila Marie P. Herbster
Students learn best when they feel safe, supported and well. At the University of Baguio (UB), mental health support is not left to a single office. It is built into the way the University counsels students, trains its teachers, prepares its student leaders and works with the city’s mental health network. Anchored by the Center for Counseling and Student Development (UB-CCSD), this support reaches students through several channels: professional guidance and counseling, peer facilitators, faculty who know how to recognize distress and refer students to help, and partnerships that connect the campus to specialists beyond it.
The activities below, held in 2025, show how these layers work together so that every UBian has somewhere to turn.
Counseling at the center: UB-CCSD’s Love and Wellness Month
UB-CCSD leads the University’s student mental health and development programs. Every February, it holds Love and Wellness Month, a celebration of student development centered on relationships, the arts and well-being. The 2025 theme, “Subscribed to the CCSD L-Series: Learning to Be and Learning to Do,” focused on personal growth and mental wellness.
Faculty as first responders: inclusive, mental health-aware classrooms
Teachers are often the first to notice when a student is struggling. On August 6, 2025, the School of International Hospitality and Tourism Management (SIHTM) devoted its in-service training under IGNITE (Inspiring Growth and Nurturing Innovation for Teaching Excellence) to mental health and inclusion in the classroom. The training was grounded in Republic Act No. 11650, the Inclusive Education Act.
Facilitator Ms. Shirley Grace Dicman of PowerVision EAP Inc., a counselor, psychotherapist, wellness coach and registered nurse, guided faculty through empathy, inclusion and mental health awareness. Using real classroom cases, she walked teachers through common challenges, the right level of response for each situation and, importantly, how to refer students to accessible mental health services. Faculty were introduced to a three-step approach: build awareness, choose the right approach and apply strategies well. They also learned practical ways to support student wellness and resilience. The session prepared SIHTM teachers to start the academic year as informed allies who can connect students to help when they need it.
Peers who know what to do: Psychological First Aid training
Students often confide in other students first. To make sure those conversations are safe and helpful, the STELA Psyche Organization partnered with the Philippine Mental Health Association – Cordillera Chapter, Inc. (PMHA-CCI) to hold a Psychological First Aid (PFA) seminar on August 6, 2025.
Thirty-four fourth-year psychology students, chosen to represent the program’s peer-mentoring groups, took part. In the morning, PMHA-CCI’s Program Relations Officer Wimberly N. Lumpias and Head of Education and Advocacy Cashmir F. Cabalo explained what PFA is, why it matters and how to use it. In the afternoon, six groups role-played crisis scenarios while PMHA-CCI observers gave feedback, and they noted that the main principles of PFA were clearly evident in the students’ responses.
The trained representatives will now share what they learned with their peer-mentoring groups, so that every psychology student is equipped to give psychological first aid. The result is a growing circle of peers who can offer immediate, appropriate support and guide classmates toward professional help.
Connected to the city’s mental health network
Strong student support also depends on strong links beyond the campus. UB is a member of the Baguio City Mental Health Council. On August 15, 2025, UB-CCSD joined the council’s meeting at RNJ Hotel, Quezon Hill, convened by the Baguio City Government. Mental health professionals and workers from local government, NGOs, the private sector and faith-based groups reviewed current mental health concerns, assessed existing programs and services, identified ways to strengthen community-based strategies, and planned activities for the city’s mental health week.
On September 5, 2025, UB also took part in a Workshop on Crafting Workplace Mental Health Policies organized by the Mental Health and Wellness unit of the Baguio City Health Services Office. The workshop covered why workplace mental health matters, how it affects people at work and how to build a supportive environment.
These partnerships keep UB’s counselors informed about services available across the city and strengthen the referral network that students can draw on when they need support beyond the campus. UB-CCSD has also named the work that remains: mental health programs that are culturally sensitive, well-resourced and inclusive of the community.
A whole-university commitment
Taken together, these activities show a support system with several layers. UB-CCSD provides professional guidance and counseling and leads campus-wide wellness programs. Peer facilitators and PFA-trained psychology students offer support among students. Faculty are trained to recognize distress and refer students to help. Partnerships with the Baguio City Government, the City Health Services Office, PMHA-CCI and private practitioners connect students to specialist care beyond the University.
UB will continue to build on this foundation by extending mental health training to more schools and faculty, growing its network of trained peer supporters and working with city partners so that every UBian knows help is available and how to reach it.