NEWS FEATURE

After Oct. 19 incident, RTU faces calls to prioritize students' mental health

BY RIZZA MAE ESCIO | DECEMBER 4, 2023

Students gather as they hold a tribute and memorial lighting ceremony for Grade 7 Student, Yuwan Magdato at Rizal Technological University in Mandaluyong City. | via Rizza Mae Escio

Mental health and education have an inseparable connection. A child could not strive academically if their mental health is compromised. In 2021, the Department of Education (DepEd) reported a total of 404 public school students who took their own lives, while 2,147 learners attempted suicide. Behind these numbers lie a hundred extinguished potentials, dreams, and lives.

Among them was Yuwan Lorenzo Magdato, a child brimming with hopes and untold stories, whose life journey was abruptly cut short. In October 19, the Grade 7 student from Rizal Technological University (RTU) - Boni Campus committed suicide by jumping from the 6th floor of the university's Sen. Nepatali A. Gonzales Academic Hall (SNAGAH).

In an interview with Radyo 5 TV FM, Magdato’s parents believed that their child was in "extreme emotional distress" after being caught and reprimanded by their teacher for cheating during a test, which triggered him to jump off the building.

The parents were told that the teachers spoke gently to Yuwan and did not utter the word ‘suspension’ to the student. However, they recovered a piece of paper bearing the words “I am suspended” with a sad face doodle.

According to RTU Laboratory High School Department Guidance Counselor Rodrigo Tomas, the university protocol in handling cheating incidents is to bring the parents in for a dialogue, and if needed, to elevate the case to the discipline office.

Despite this protocol, Magdato’s parents said that they were contacted only when Yuwan was already in the hospital, dead on arrival.

The university released a statement saying that besides an investigation through a fact-finding committee with the Philippine National Police (PNP), they also offered their "thoughts and prayers" to the victim's family.

DepEd required RTU to submit an incident report to investigate if the teachers had violated any laws in carrying out the school’s rules against academic dishonesty but the university is still yet to provide public information regarding the report's development.

These cases are no-stranger to RTU as another student from the university also committed suicide 7 years ago. Freshman physical education student, Jesa Lojo, took her own life by jumping from the fifth floor of SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City in 2016. A friend of the victim's sister reported that Jesa was visibly "upset, crying, and displaying signs of deep distress" before the incident.

Students' Mental Health in PH

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 16% of Filipino children had mental disorders in 2017.

A study from Victoria University in 2020 shows that ongoing stress relating to education has demonstrated a negative impact on students’ learning capacity, academic performance, sleep quality and quantity, physical health, mental health, and substance use outcomes. Even if academic stress could be harmful to students’ overall health, they still put pressure on themselves just to meet the expectations that adults set for them.

DepEd Assistant Secretary Dexter Galban reiterated that even one suicide case is too much. Rising rate of suicide cases is alarming and could be attributed to the strain on students' mental health caused by the transition from online to face-to-face classes, he added.

Navigating Counseling Services and Demand for Mental Health Awareness

DepEd recorded that out of almost 70,000 schools nationwide, there are only 16,557 guidance offices with 2,093 licensed guidance counselors.

During a Senate committee on basic education hearing on January 23, Galban admitted that the target ratio for guidance counselors and students of "1 is to 250" is not met.

RTU Guidance and Counseling Services were open even before the incident but only to students with appointments before counseling sessions, as per guidelines.

After the incident, the office became more accessible, opening both online and in-campus counseling services for students, professors, and non-teaching staff. Mental health advocates in the institution, including RTU Psychology Students' Association, also open their doors to students who need counseling services.

Prioritizing Students' Mental Well-Being

In the Philippines, there are specific laws in place that protect children's welfare, including the Child and Youth Welfare Code and Republic Act 7610, which prohibit any form of mental and physical violence directed towards children.

Despite such legislations, cases of child abuse in the country persist and a significant number of these cases, if not the majority, remain underreported.

The #JusticeForYuwan campaign is collectively being supported by several youth alliances, including Anakbayan, Kabataan Partylist, and Concerned Students for Justice and Peace (CSJP), calling for the RTU administration to uphold accountability and prioritize student mental health.

4 days after the incident, RTU Supreme Student Council (SSC) demanded a student-centered, gender-sensitive, and humane academic policy from the administration.

“We cannot afford to lose another soul. We must act in solidarity to raise pressing issues that affect students and the whole RTU community. Prioritize the students' well-being and welfare,” said the student body in a statement.