In some classrooms at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, students are encouraged not simply to answer but also to ask questions, the purpose being to perceive learning as a reflective, relational, and deeply personal concept.

But outside the campus and in many public schools across the Philippines, classroom conditions are far from ensuring the emotional safety of inquisitive students. A safe-space learning environment is still a privilege, not a norm, in a country marked by vast educational disparities, according to some educators.

Students in public schools often endure crowded rooms, overworked teachers, and limited school support systems that are not conducive to real learning.

“A classroom becomes emotionally safe when students feel they won’t be judged, shamed, or  ignored,” said Lizamarie Olegario, a professor at the UP College of Education. It isn’t only about physical space but also about trust, acceptance, and respect, she explained.

This is foundational for real learning, Olegario said. “When students know they’re supported even when they struggle, they become less afraid of failure. They become more open to growth,” she said.

Her insights reflect broader efforts within UP to cultivate humanizing classrooms. The goal is not only academic success but emotional development and social connection as well.

EDFD 149, Permah Framework

One such effort is a fairly new course that takes this approach even further.

In the first semester of academic year 2024–2025, UP’s College of Education began offering EDFD 149 or philosophical coaching, a values education elective that blends Socratic dialogue, reflective practice, and intentional community-building.

The course is still in the process of institutional evaluation, but it has gained attention for its emotionally transformative effect on students. Its sole instructor is Obet Cabrillas, who defines a safe classroom not by its walls but by the students that occupy it.

“It’s a group of safe individuals where you can be your most sincere and vulnerable self,” he said.

Cabrillas, a professor and motivational speaker, grounds his pedagogy in relational sincerity, a method of teaching that is honest, emotionally attuned, and rooted in empathy. His students participate in structured reflective activities like the “coachee chair,” where they share openly and ask each other nonjudgmental and values-based questions.

“The breakthroughs are consistent,” he noted. “Even the quietest students begin to speak.”

For Hazel Geronimo, a values education major and an aspiring public-school teacher, the class was transformative. “We weren’t just studying concepts. We were unpacking our lives,” she said. “That kind of space taught me empathy and active listening.”

Geronimo believes that emotional safety must begin with teachers. “If we meet students with patience, respect, and presence, they learn not just the content, but also how to genuinely care.”

There is also the Permah Framework, which promotes holistic well-being and learning by focusing on emotional growth and human connection apart from academic outcomes.

Now used in UP’s education and physical education classes, Permah stands for positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, accomplishment, and health. 

Opposite world

It is a completely opposite world, as how public-school teachers like Romilyn de Cadiz would describe it. And creating emotionally safe classrooms is a struggle.

“My students arrive with heavy emotional baggage, some from poverty, others from familial matters,” De Cadiz said. “And yet, we have no formal training in how to respond.”

The teacher handles a class of more than 40 Grade 2 students in a cramped classroom, with insufficient chairs. She shows compassion when she can: comforting crying students, seeking guidance from their parents, and never forcing any of the students to speak.

But she often finds herself overwhelmed: “Most of our training from DepEd is focused on subjects like English or Math. Emotional safety isn’t part of the picture.”

Her story illustrates a key gap: While UP experiments with emotionally centered approaches, public-school teachers are left to manage these challenges by themselves.

Studies support what educators are experiencing on the ground. The 2022 SEA-PLM (Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics) report revealed that Filipino students ranked low in indicators like self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and emotional regulation—all essential for effective learning.

1M ‘at risk’ students

Meanwhile, the Department of Education’s Learner Information System recorded over 1 million “at-risk” students in 2024, citing emotional distress, absenteeism, and domestic instability. Despite these figures, there is still no dedicated nationwide policy on teacher training for emotional or relational safety in classrooms.

The DepEd has since taken initial steps, including the Matatag Curriculum. Launched in August 2023 and fully implemented by 2025, it is aimed at promoting learner-centered instruction, including social and emotional competencies.

Earlier policies such as DepEd Order (DO) No. 31, s. 2012 and DO No. 42, s. 2017 encouraged reflective and inclusive learning approaches. But implementation remains uneven.

Emotional safety is neither directly defined nor systematically measured in schools nationwide. And while the Mental Health Act of 2018 mandates mental wellness programs in education, under-resourced schools continue to lack trained counselors and institutional support.

Personal and social benefits

In UP, the benefits are both personal and social. Cabrillas said: “When students feel safe, they listen better, they speak more honestly, and they show more respect. That changes the classroom culture entirely.”

But such outcomes require more than good intentions. They require institutional support, training, reduced class sizes, and space for teachers to connect meaningfully with their students.

Can a values-based, emotionally safe teaching model work nationwide? Educators are hopeful but cautious.

Said Olegario: “Even in low-resource settings, emotional safety is possible. It starts with presence, empathy, and respect. But for it to be sustainable, we need policy and support.”

Until these are attained, safe classrooms, like so many other aspects of quality education in the Philippines, remain unevenly distributed. They might be a privilege for now, but they shouldn’t be for a long time.

Angel Sofia Nabong, a third-year journalism student at the University of the Philippines’ College of Media and Communication, is an intern at CoverStory.ph.