As UBians Unite and give support for the 2026 Suicide Prevention Month, sometimes a simple question can become a lifeline. Suicide prevention begins in these small but meaningful moments of connection when we choose to notice, listen, and care.
This Suicide Prevention Month, the Center for Counseling and Student Development (CCSD) of the University of Baguio invites the UBian community to pause, listen, reach out, and stand together for life. Guided by this year’s theme, #ThrivingForLife: Strengthening Support Systems, the initiative seeks to create spaces where conversations about mental health and suicide are met not with silence or stigma, but with compassion, understanding, and genuine support.
“Kamusta ka talaga?”
A key highlight of the event was a recorded online session with a PRC-licensed mental health professional, Dr. Raven Baldovino, who emphasized that help is always possible. In his talk, he started to ask a simple but powerful question, “Kamusta ka, talaga? A phrase known to either start a meaningful conversation or provide initial comfort for someone trying to survive the daily struggles of life. Moreover, he also addressed proper conversation, assistance, and even facts for someone who is struggling; this information is essential in recognizing the need for a safe space for everyone: students, employees, friends, families, and even strangers who are trying to reach out.
A Space for Love and Support: CCSD Suicide Prevention Booth 2026
Beyond raising awareness, suicide prevention and direct attention to mental health cases among learners can be supported by creating dedicated spaces where these individuals feel seen, heard, and valued. With this in mind, the CCSD unit, in collaboration with the Peer Facilitators, established a Suicide Prevention Booth: “A Space for Love”, as a welcoming space where students and members of the UBian community can pause, connect, learn, and be reminded that they matter.
Located in two accessible spaces, the UB Cardinals Gymnasium and the CCSD Main Office (F206), the booths offer meaningful activities designed to encourage participation and spark conversations about mental health and suicide prevention. Students can show their support by wearing a yellow ribbon, capturing moments of hope at the photo booth, learning more about the counseling and support services offered by CCSD, and taking part in “You Matter” activities that celebrate the value and uniqueness of every individual.
The message of suicide prevention extends beyond a single office; it is a shared commitment to the well-being of every learner. In support of this advocacy, the Suicide Prevention Month initiative was further extended to the CCSD unit offices: University of Baguio Laboratory Elementary School (UBLES), UB High School, and Science High School. This was done through their respective student activities on suicide prevention: a positivity wall and a rant box (UBHS), an Instagram frame for suicide prevention (UBSHS), and butterflies with inspirational messages (UBLES).
Alt Text: University of Baguio CCSD unit’s World Suicide Prevention Day 2026 Activities that remind everyone that they matter and that every learner is appreciated for their efforts and existence
The call to wear yellow resonated across the UBian community as students, employees, and various offices came together in solidarity with Suicide Prevention Month. From yellow clothing to simple yellow accessories and ribbons, each expression became a visible reminder of hope for every life.
More than an awareness campaign, it reflects the University’s commitment to shared interests and goals under the observation of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
- Goal 3: Good health and well-being – by reinforcing the message that every student deserves to feel seen, heard, supported, and valued
- Goal 4: Quality education – by promoting inclusive and supportive learning environments
- Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals – by continuously strengthening measures towards partnerships and collective action within the community
Through connection and shared responsibility, CCSD hopes to help build a community where every UBian feels seen, supported, and empowered to thrive. More than a color, yellow became a shared message of the UBian community for life. Through this simple yet meaningful gesture, the UBian community showed that suicide prevention is a collective responsibility, one that begins with creating a culture where people feel supported, connected, and never alone.
