Education Secretary Sonny Angara says a risk assessment will decide where the new school counselor associates go first, with large urban schools at the top of the list
The Department of Education (DepEd) will give priority to large schools and campuses with a history of bullying and violence in the hiring and deployment of school counselor associates, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said in remarks made public on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, as the agency races to fill 10,000 positions before the year ends.
Angara explained that DepEd uses a risk assessment to decide how the yearly hiring budget for counselor associates is spread across the country’s schools, since funds are not enough to cover all of them at once.
“Every year we are given a budget for the hiring of counselor associates. We distribute it for the 40,000-plus schools based on risk and usually, we have a risk assessment. Usually, incidents of bullying and violence tend to happen in bigger schools, in schools in urban areas. So, those schools that have a history, we will really provide them counselor associates,” Angara said.
The secretary noted that only about 5,000 of the more than 45,000 public schools nationwide currently have registered guidance counselors. To close the gap, DepEd plans to hire a mix of licensed guidance counselors and school counselor associates.
“Not a full-fledged guidance counselor, but with experience or units in psychology, in behavioral science, so will be able to spot any mental health issues and be able to guide our students,” Angara said of the associates.
What the job requires
The Civil Service Commission approved the qualification standards for the position in June. Applicants generally need a bachelor’s degree in guidance and counseling, psychology or a related field with relevant units and supervised practicum, along with civil service eligibility. Because the requirements are lighter than those for licensed guidance counselors, demand has been high: Angara told lawmakers in September that more than 20,000 people had applied for the 10,000 funded slots, and that DepEd had cut its hiring process from three to four months to about 30 days.
Angara said the hiring push is timely given the rising number of bullying cases, school violence and mental health concerns among learners.
Bigger budget sought
DepEd is also asking the Senate for an additional P147.9 billion to fund programs left out of its proposed P975.96-billion budget for 2027. Angara admitted that getting the full amount is “a long shot,” but said it is one the department has to take.
“If you look at the most successful countries with the most successful education systems, they tend to spend more on education,” he said, adding that senators asking DepEd for its top priorities is a sign they want to restore at least part of the budget that was cut.
Applicants interested in the school counselor associate posts are advised to watch for vacancy announcements from their DepEd regional and schools division offices.