VSU partners with EV chapter of Guidance and Counseling Association for first regional convention

In the photo (L–R): Coordinator for Counseling and Responsive Care Kent Jan A. Beldia; VSU President Dr. Prose Ivy G. Yepes; PGCA-EV Chapter President Ms. Marwen A. Castañeda; and VSU Guidance and Counseling Director Ms. Chona A. Brit during the photo opportunity following the MOA signing.

The Visayas State University (VSU) has formalized its partnership with the Eastern Visayas Chapter of the Philippine Guidance and Counseling Association (PGCA-EV) through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed on August 20, 2025.

This agreement sets the stage for the First Annual Regional General Assembly and Convention of counselors and mental health advocates in Eastern Visayas, to be hosted in VSU on September 17–19, 2025.

The signing was represented by Dr. Prose Ivy G. Yepes for VSU and Ms. Marwen A. Castañeda, Chapter President, for PGCA-EV. Serving as witnesses were Ms. Chona A. Brit, RGC, Director of the VSU Guidance and Counseling Office, and Kent Jan A. Beldia, RGC, CSFP, Coordinator of Counseling & Responsive Care and who is also serving as the convention lead.

The convention will be the largest stay-in gathering of mental health professionals, associates, and advocates in Region 8. For three days, participants will attend lectures and workshops designed around the theme “New Trajectories in Counseling and Psychosocial Support for Glocal Impact.” Sessions will focus on examining changes in the field, exploring new approaches, and developing practical helping skills for use across different settings.

PGCA-EV is the officially recognized regional branch of the national Philippine Guidance and Counseling Association. First organized as PGCA-Tacloban in 1988, it became incorporated under the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2023 and now operates as the Eastern Visayas Chapter. This year’s convention is notable as it will be the first regional gathering in the chapter’s 37-year history.

The event is made possible by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Services (OVPSAS) and the VSU Guidance and Counseling Office, both of which have been consistently active in promoting mental health advocacies in the region. 

More than a professional gathering, the convention provides a platform for mental health practitioners in the region to rethink their roles in a rapidly changing environment and to strengthen networks that can deliver psychosocial support with both local relevance and global perspective.

This article is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Good Health and Well-Being; SDG 4: Quality Education; SDG 10: Reduced Inequality, and; SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. 

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