November 11, 2025

Social Inclusion and Equity, Peace-Building and Security, Active Citizenship, Global Mobility

The Peer Counselors Club (PCC) of General Artemio Ricarte Senior High School (GARSHS) is an institutionalized student auxiliary body operating under the purview of its approved Constitution and By- Laws, tasked with the fiduciary responsibility of promoting student welfare and psychosocial resilience. The PCC's organizational mandate constitutes a materialization of the State’s duty as codified under Republic Act No. 11036 (Mental Health Act), which necessitates the provision of accessible mental health services within educational institutions, and directly contributes to the global achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by making sure that mental health promotion at the grassroots educational level. Furthermore, its operations, including the adherence to confidentiality protocols and the establishment of a Peer-Led Safeguard Standard (PLSS), are structurally compliant with the principles espoused in DepEd Order No. 34, s. 2022 (Adoption of the Mental Health Program in Schools) and DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012 (Child Protection Policy). Functioning as the official representative body for student grievances and welfare concerns, the PCC is legally vested with the authority to formulate, implement, and monitor programs designed to cultivate a child-friendly, gender-sensitive, and safe learning environment, thereby translating regulatory compliance into tangible, student-centric operational outcomes.