Written by Shena Ariola
The University of Baguio participated in the 24th Annual National Convention of the Integrated Professional Counselors Association of the Philippines (IPCAP), through the presence of Ms. Shena Ariola of the Center for Counseling and Student Development (CCSD). The event was held last February 18–19, 2026, at the Paradise Garden Boracay Resort and Convention Center, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan; with the theme “Wellbeing for All: Leveraging Technology to Democratize Mental Health Care Across Settings”. The two-day convention served as a national platform for 92 participants, who are composed of mental health professionals, educators, advocates, and stakeholders from schools and universities across the country; to examine ethical, inclusive, and technology-enabled approaches to counseling practice across educational, organizational, and community contexts.
More so, In the seminar’s keynote address, Dr. Luzlin P. Elcullada’s highlighted sustaining traditional Filipino values like “kapwa” amid digital counseling, addressing ethical challenges such as privacy in multi-generational homes and the cultural limitations of Western AI tools. Following this was the plenary session of Dr. Chris John S. Bedoria’s, which positioned technology as a supportive aid for assessment, documentation, and early intervention. He, however, warned against overreliance to AI, which in the long run erodes human connections. Complementing these, Ms. Jona Kristen M. Valdez outlined inclusive school-based mental health programs, bridging systemic gaps for diverse learners through collaborative, evidence-based frameworks involving educators, families, and communities to foster accessible, sustainable services.
Apart from the plenary sessions, workshops were also provided to strengthen the competencies of the participants, relative to AI. Altogether, the plenary sessions and workshops emphasized how educational institutions foster the realization of SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, particularly target 3.4 through the provision of virtual services.
The learnings from the convention underscored the need for the University of Baguio to further strengthen the provision of online counseling services by enhancing digital platforms, promoting responsible AI use among students, and refining online counseling processes. In response, the Center for Counseling and Student Development (CCSD) shall take the lead in implementing relevant initiatives based on its institutional mandate, professional capacity, and established counseling framework. Planned actions include the enhancement and standardization of online counseling systems, continued refinement of informed consent procedures, counselor capacity-building on ethical and technology-assisted service delivery, and strengthened student orientation on the appropriate use of AI tools in relation to mental health support.
With this, the University of Baguio reaffirms its commitment to pro moting holistic well-being, strengthening mental health services, and adopting responsible and innovative counseling practices.
