Students who may be struggling with mental health concerns now have access to a dedicated support hotline through the Department of Education (DepEd).
Last month, DepEd and the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) officially launched the enhanced Learners TeleSafe Contact Center Helpline at General T. de Leon National High School in Valenzuela City.
Photo: Virgie & Mike/Pexels
The upgraded helpline is now directly connected to the NCMH Crisis Hotline, allowing learners to be referred more quickly to mental health professionals when needed. According to DepEd, the system is supported by PLDT contact center solutions to help connect callers to NCMH specialists for crisis response and intervention.
Students may reach the Learners TeleSafe Contact Center Helpline through the following channels:
- Hotline: #33733 (#DEPED)
- Mobile: 0945-175-9777
- Email: weprotectlearners@deped.gov.ph
“Under the leadership of President Marcos, every learner is important, and we want them to feel that they are not alone, that there is someone always ready to listen to what they are going through,” DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara said during the launch.
The initiative is part of a nationwide rollout, with simultaneous activities also held in schools in Iloilo City and Cagayan de Oro City.
This comes amid growing discussions around youth mental health. Earlier this year, the National Capital Region Police Office recorded 111 suicide cases from January 1 to March 23, 2026.
A 2025 World Health Organization report also noted that one in seven people aged 10 to 19 worldwide experiences a mental disorder, with depression, anxiety, and behavioral conditions among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents.
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