Metro Manila single ticketing system finally approved Suicide among students alarming

After over 20 years, Metro Manila will be adopting the single ticketing system after it has been approved by the Metro Manila Council (MMC) last February 1, 2023.

Seventeen Metro Manila mayors approved Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA)

Resolution No. 23-02 which outlines the Metro Manila Traffic Code of 2023.

According to MMC Chairman and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, the local government units of Metro Manila are given until the 15th of March to pass their respective ordinances regarding the order. They are also targeting that the single ticketing system will be in effect by April.

Zamora said that the single ticketing system will greatly help motorists as they will no longer need to go to city hall to redeem their license because of traffic violations. They can pay the fine wherever they are in the Philippines.

The fines for violations will also be standardized and the rates will be the same across the cities, as further shared by Zamora.

In a Senate panel last January 31, DepEd Assistant Secretary Dexter Galban presented that at the height of the pandemic in 2021, 404 students committed suicide and died, 2,147 attempted it and 775,962 sought guidance counseling, among the 28 million student population.

“At least in 2021, the total number of suicide cases recorded, and again, this is something that we should look into, is 404. I believe that even one suicide case is too much, and that’s why we are very much in support of the bill,” Galban said.

Galban also added that the number of students who attempted suicide is alarming as it continues to go up.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said that the problem is because of the lack of mental health programs and mental health experts.

Gatchalian filed Senate Bill 379 or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act which seeks to strengthen the promotion and delivery of mental health services in primary education.

Galban added that with roughly 2,093 registered guidance counselors that the schools have, and a population growth target of 28 million, the ideal ratio is not hit.

The recommended ratio actually is one to 250,” he added. “But if you look into the numbers, 2,000 to 28 million that’s one is to 13,394. So clearly there is a gap to be filled.”

The DepEd official also said that there were issues with the salary n of the guidance counselors stating that the degree requirement of the profession is not commensurate with the compensation provided.