Cebu City Launches Parents Academy to Help Families Navigate Children’s Mental Health

Parenting doesn’t come with a manual—but Cebu City is trying to change that with the proposal of a Parents Academy.

In response to growing concerns about children’s mental health following the recent discussions on school safety, Cebu City is proposing a Parents Academy, a first-of-its-kind initiative that treats parenting not as instinct alone, but as a skill that can be learned, strengthened, and supported.

The proposal forms part of a broader plan to establish a permanent Mental Health Council and create long-term, school-based mental health programs that continue regardless of changes in leadership.

What We Know About the Parents Academy

Cebu City’s proposed Parents Academy recognizes what many families already know: raising emotionally healthy children starts with supporting parents, too. Through practical parenting modules, mental health education, and stronger family communication, the city hopes to make homes the first line of defense for children’s well-being.

According to Cebu City Councilor Michelle Abella Celona, the Parents Academy will offer modules designed to strengthen parenting skills and improve communication at home.

“We will invite parents to undergo several modules to enhance their capacity to parent effectively,” Celona said in an interview with Cebu Daily News.

Initially, the sessions will be held in schools before expanding to barangays, making them more accessible for families unable to attend campus-based activities.

The academy is just one part of a much larger strategy. Cebu City also plans to build a student mental health database, develop intervention manuals for schools, train teachers and first responders to recognize emotional distress, and introduce practical mental health education into classrooms.

“Once we have data, it will serve as the basis for training trainers who will handle mental health concerns and for developing manuals that schools can use,” Celona explained.

The initiative also reflects what mental health professionals observed during consultations: many children’s struggles begin long before they enter the classroom.

“Rooted gyud siya sa family dynamics… This is not to blame parents,” Celona emphasized in an interview with Sun Star, acknowledging that economic pressures often leave families with less time to connect emotionally. “While it’s true that most of the root causes of these problems are domestic, if these problems are not addressed at the family level, it will be difficult for teachers alone to resolve them.”

Rather than assigning blame, the city hopes to equip parents with better tools to navigate stress, communication, emotional regulation, and the realities of raising children in today’s digital world.

A School for Parents

Children are often told they never stop learning. Perhaps the same is true for parents.

The Parents Academy sends an encouraging message: asking for guidance isn’t a sign of failure—it’s a sign of love. By investing in parents alongside students, Cebu City recognizes that healthy schools begin with healthy homes.

As Celona put it, “This is not just about saving a peso coin. It is about saving lives.”

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