Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU), through its Guidance and Counseling Services Office (GCSO), demonstrates its commitment to student mental health and psychological well-being by providing access to free, confidential, and nonjudgmental counseling services. Through its public student-support announcement, the University directly encourages EVSU students experiencing stress, emotional difficulties, or overwhelming personal concerns to seek assistance and reminds them that they do not have to face their challenges alone.

A key feature of this initiative is the provision of counseling without fees, helping reduce financial barriers that might otherwise discourage students from seeking professional guidance. The GCSO also emphasizes confidentiality and a nonjudgmental approach, fostering a supportive environment where students can discuss personal concerns and seek assistance with greater confidence.

To facilitate access, the University provides an online registration form through which students can initiate the counseling process. The announcement further explains that informed-consent documents and other necessary forms will be provided after registration, indicating an established intake process for accessing the service.

By making counseling services visible and providing a clear registration pathway, EVSU actively communicates the availability of mental health support to its student population. This approach helps normalize help-seeking behavior, encourages early engagement with guidance services, and reinforces the importance of psychological well-being as part of the student experience.

Through the GCSO, EVSU affirms its institutional responsibility to provide an accessible and supportive environment where students can seek guidance for personal, emotional, and academic challenges. The initiative contributes to the University’s broader commitment to student welfare, inclusive education, and the promotion of mental health and well-being across the campus community.

Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU), through its student support and guidance services, strengthened its commitment to student mental health and well-being through the Peer Facilitators’ Training and Workshop Program 2025, titled “Lighting the Way: Empowering Peer Facilitators for a Dynamic Tomorrow.” Held on November 20–21, 2025, at the ORDEX Training Room, the two-day program carried the theme “Elevating Skills for Effective and Inclusive Peer Support in a Dynamic World.” The activity equipped peer facilitators with foundational knowledge and practical skills to provide supportive, empathetic, and inclusive peer engagement within the university community.

The program featured sessions designed to develop participants’ understanding of their responsibilities as peer facilitators and strengthen their capacity to respond constructively to the concerns of fellow students. Discussions included “Unlocking the Peer Facilitator Within,” facilitated by Ms. Normae C. Ecija, RPm, RGC, and “Characteristics of an Effective Peer Facilitator,” facilitated by Mr. Christian Dave Broña, RPm. Team-building activities, shared reflections, and peer testimonials also helped reinforce interpersonal connection, empathy, and a sense of belonging among the participants.

A central component of the training focused directly on the knowledge and skills needed to support students’ psychological well-being. Participants attended sessions on “Helping Skills 101: Inclusive and Gender-Fair Support” and “Psychological First Aid for Peer Facilitators,” both facilitated by Ms. Normae C. Ecija, RPm, RGC. These sessions emphasized the importance of responding to others with sensitivity, respect, and inclusiveness, while helping peer facilitators better understand how to provide initial support when fellow students experience distress or personal difficulties. Skill demonstrations and role-playing activities gave participants opportunities to practice their helping skills and demonstrate their readiness to apply the lessons learned.

The training also addressed “Mental Health and Wellbeing in the D’VUCAD World” and “Self-Care Strategies,” facilitated by Dr. Cherie Guy B. Giray, RGC, PhD, DevEdD-GC. These discussions reinforced the importance of mental health awareness, personal well-being, and self-care among peer facilitators themselves. By addressing both the capacity to support others and the need to maintain one’s own well-being, the program promoted a more holistic approach to peer support.

The program concluded with the awarding of certificates and the oath-taking ceremony of peer facilitators and newly elected Peer Facilitators’ Club officers. This formal commitment reinforced their responsibility to serve fellow students with empathy, compassion, integrity, and respect.

Through this initiative, EVSU strengthened a peer-support approach that complements its professional guidance and counseling services. Trained peer facilitators can contribute to a more approachable and supportive campus environment by encouraging positive interpersonal connections, promoting awareness of mental health concerns, and helping fellow students feel heard and supported. Peer facilitation is not a substitute for professional counseling or clinical mental health care; rather, it can serve as a complementary layer of student support that encourages early help-seeking and appropriate referral when specialized assistance is needed.

The Peer Facilitators’ Training and Workshop Program 2025 demonstrates EVSU’s commitment to fostering a psychologically supportive university environment through capacity-building, inclusive peer engagement, mental health education, psychological first-aid awareness, and self-care promotion. By preparing student peer facilitators to respond with empathy and responsibility, the University advances its efforts to ensure that students have access to supportive relationships and pathways toward appropriate mental health assistance.

Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU), through its Guidance and Counseling Services Office (GCSO), supports student mental health and well-being by providing developmental guidance initiatives that help students navigate the transition to university life. One such initiative was “Connect & Thrive: A Foundation for Navigating College Life,” a seminar organized for incoming first-year students of the EVSU Main Campus on July 22–23, 2025, at the Miguel Romualdez Memorial Auditorium.

The seminar was designed to help incoming students establish meaningful connections, become familiar with campus life, and build a strong foundation for their college journey. It was conducted according to college schedules, serving students from the College of Engineering; College of Technology; College of Arts and Sciences; College of Education; College of Business and Entrepreneurship; and College of Architecture and Allied Discipline.

By providing a structured opportunity for students to prepare for the demands and adjustments of higher education, the initiative contributes to their emotional readiness, sense of belonging, social connectedness, and ability to navigate new academic and personal challenges. These factors are important to student well-being, particularly during the transition from secondary education to university life.

Through initiatives such as Connect & Thrive, EVSU demonstrates its commitment to a student-centered learning environment that recognizes the relationship between psychological well-being, positive social relationships, and academic adjustment. The activity complements the University’s broader guidance and counseling services by promoting early support, student engagement, and a welcoming campus community where incoming students are encouraged to connect, seek guidance, and thrive throughout their college experience.

Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU), through its Guidance and Counseling Services Office (GCSO), advanced its commitment to student mental health and psychological well-being through the Suicide Prevention Awareness Month 2025 Webinar, held on September 26, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon via Google Meet. Open to EVSU students, the initiative provided an accessible online platform for raising awareness about suicide prevention, recognizing signs of emotional distress, and encouraging timely help-seeking.

Anchored on the theme “Changing the Narrative on Suicide,” the webinar featured two key topics: “Suicide Awareness and Prevention: Looking Out for Each Other” and “See the Signs, Save a Life: Recognizing the Call for Help.” These topics emphasized the importance of recognizing potential warning signs, responding with empathy and understanding, and fostering a supportive community in which students feel safe expressing their concerns and reaching out for assistance.

By addressing suicide-related stigma and promoting open conversations about mental health, the initiative sought to strengthen students’ awareness of their own well-being and their capacity to recognize when peers may need support. The webinar also reinforced the importance of compassion, peer support, and early intervention in helping individuals experiencing emotional difficulties connect with appropriate assistance.

The use of an online delivery platform provided a convenient means for students to participate in the awareness activity without the need to attend a physical venue. Through this university-led initiative, EVSU demonstrated its commitment to mental health education and suicide prevention as complementary components of student support.

The webinar forms part of the University’s broader efforts to foster a caring, inclusive, and psychologically supportive learning environment. By promoting mental health literacy, encouraging students to seek help, and emphasizing the importance of looking out for one another, EVSU reinforces the role of its Guidance and Counseling Services Office in advancing student well-being and connecting students with available guidance and counseling support.

Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU), through its Guidance and Counseling Services Office (GCSO), continued to promote student mental health and psychological well-being through its Mental Health Awareness Webinar, scheduled for October 10, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon via Google Meet. The initiative invited EVSU students to engage in conversations about mental health, learn practical ways to care for themselves, and develop a better understanding of how to support others experiencing emotional or psychological difficulties.

The webinar emphasized the importance of taking time to recognize and prioritize mental well-being within the demands of academic and personal life. By creating an opportunity for students to learn about mental health in an accessible online setting, the initiative sought to encourage self-care, emotional awareness, and supportive relationships among members of the university community.

The activity’s emphasis on providing a safe space to learn, share, and grow together also reinforced the importance of cultivating a campus culture in which students feel comfortable discussing mental health concerns without fear of stigma or judgment. Encouraging students to support one another contributes to stronger social connections and may help individuals recognize when they or their peers need further assistance.

Through this initiative, EVSU demonstrated its commitment to integrating mental health awareness into student support and development. Complementing the University’s guidance and counseling services, the webinar highlighted the importance of preventive mental health education, personal well-being, and peer support in fostering a caring and inclusive learning environment.

By encouraging students to prioritize their mental health and become more responsive to the well-being of others, EVSU advances its broader commitment to holistic student development and to ensuring that psychological well-being remains an important part of the university experience.

Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU), through its Student Affairs and Services Office (SASO) and Guidance and Counseling Services Office (GCSO), demonstrated its commitment to student mental health and well-being by conducting a psychosocial support activity titled “Rekindling the Light: Finding Strength and Hope After the Fire” on October 14, 2025, at the ABS-CBN Building. The initiative was organized for students affected by the fire incident in Barangay 45, Sta. Cruz, with the aim of supporting their emotional recovery, strengthening resilience, and helping them cope with the psychological and personal challenges associated with the disaster.

The program was facilitated by Registered Guidance Counselors Prof. Normae Ecija and Dr. Cherie Guy Giray, Head of the Guidance and Counseling Services Office. Through a series of talks focused on resilience and emotional recovery, the activity provided affected students with an opportunity to reflect on their experiences, recognize their emotional needs, and draw strength and hope as they worked toward recovery. The involvement of registered guidance counselors underscores the University’s use of professional guidance expertise in delivering psychosocial support to students experiencing distress following a traumatic event.

Beyond emotional support, the initiative adopted a holistic and compassionate approach to student welfare. The activity concluded with the distribution of donations to affected students, helping address some of their immediate material needs during recovery. Student organizations across EVSU mobilized clothing, food supplies, and monetary assistance, while external organizations and partner agencies also contributed donations and other forms of support. This collective response demonstrated the importance of collaboration, solidarity, and community participation in helping students recover from adverse circumstances.

Through this initiative, EVSU demonstrated an institutional response to the mental health and psychosocial needs of students affected by a community disaster. By bringing together professional guidance counselors, student organizations, university offices, and external partners, the University provided coordinated emotional and practical assistance to help affected students navigate a difficult experience.

The activity illustrates EVSU’s commitment to a supportive and student-centered learning environment in which mental health care, psychosocial recovery, resilience, and compassionate assistance are integral to student welfare. It also highlights the role of the Guidance and Counseling Services Office in extending support beyond routine academic concerns to students experiencing distress arising from emergencies and disruptive life events.

Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU), through its Guidance and Counseling Services Office (GCSO), extended its commitment to mental health promotion, personal development, and inclusive student support through a virtual personality development session held on November 21, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The session, offered free of charge, welcomed persons with disabilities (PWDs), students, and university employees, providing an inclusive platform for learning, reflection, and personal growth.

Anchored on the theme “Unleashing One’s Inner Strength Through Self-Awareness, Self-Acceptance, and Self-Worth,” the webinar focused on the importance of understanding oneself, recognizing individual strengths, cultivating self-acceptance, and developing a positive sense of self-worth. The session featured Ms. Glenda Elaine A. Alas, RPM, as resource speaker, contributing expertise to the discussion on personality development and self-awareness.

The initiative supports psychological well-being by encouraging participants to develop a healthier understanding of themselves, appreciate their individual abilities and experiences, and strengthen their confidence in navigating personal and social challenges. Its explicit inclusion of persons with disabilities reflects the University’s commitment to creating supportive spaces that recognize individual differences, promote respect, and encourage participation without discrimination.

By delivering the session virtually and without an admission fee, EVSU provided an accessible opportunity for members of the university community to participate in a developmental learning activity. The webinar complemented the University’s broader guidance and counseling framework by promoting preventive and developmental approaches to well-being alongside access to counseling services.

Through initiatives of this nature, EVSU reinforces the importance of self-awareness, self-acceptance, inclusion, and personal empowerment in fostering a psychologically supportive university environment. The activity demonstrates the University’s commitment to holistic development, where mental well-being and the dignity of every individual are recognized as integral to student welfare and institutional inclusivity.