The Philippines faces a severe shortage of licensed guidance counselors, with only around 4,000 available as of 2022.This gap has raised concerns about students' mental health and safety, especially after incidents like the June 2024 Tacloban City school shooting.To address this, Republic Act No.12080 was signed in December 2024, creating the role of school counselor associates.These professionals will provide support in schools but have different qualifications than licensed counselors.The law outlines their responsibilities, including mental health assistance and crisis management.A hiring process is underway to recruit these associates, with plans to train them by 2025.However, challenges remain, such as ensuring proper training and addressing the root causes of the counselor shortage.The initiative aims to improve student well-being while balancing resource limitations.