THE Department of Education (DepEd) has launched a comprehensive campaign for school safety amid the rise of school-related violence across the country.
The initiative, according to DepEd, engages schools, parents, local government units, law enforcement agencies and community stakeholders in a unified approach to curb bullying, improve campus safety, and ensure timely support for learners and personnel.
The directive comes after the shooting last June 22 at the San Jose National High School in Tacloban City that led to the death of three students and injuring at least 12 others.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said on Friday he will meet with all DepEd regional directors to discuss the swift and uniform implementation of the updated security protocols.
Angara called for strict monitoring by school divisions to guarantee compliance with the new security directives.
The department is also deploying a multilayered safety strategy through the newly launched School Safety Campaign to prevent future incidents.
The security upgrade includes providing public schools with handheld metal detectors, establishing strict visitor management systems, conducting regular bag inspections, installing closed-circuit television (CCTV) networks and strategically deploying security personnel.
Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez on Friday vowed to strengthen security measures in schools following the fatal shooting at San Jose National High School.
“We will do everything we can to ensure that our schools remain safe spaces for learning, growth and opportunity,” Romualdez said.
He said he inspected the school along with department heads and police officials to reassure parents that students can safely return to their classrooms.
Among the measures being considered are the deployment of additional security personnel, construction of secure perimeter fencing, installation of more CCTV cameras and a panic-button system directly linked to law enforcement agencies for faster response.
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the 14-year-old suspect in the Tacloban school shooting will undergo a long-term rehabilitation program, while the 15-year-old suspect will face legal proceedings to determine discernment.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development also cited data from the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council showing a steady decline in reported cases involving children in conflict with the law over the past eight years.
The Commission on Population and Development (CPD) called for stronger school-based child protection mechanisms, recognizing that adolescence is a critical stage marked by rapid emotional, psychological and social changes that can make young people more vulnerable.
“By investing in stronger families and healthier adolescents today, we build safer schools, more peaceful communities and a more resilient nation tomorrow,” the CPD said in a statement.
The agency said the challenges faced by adolescents are further intensified by the influence of peers, digital platforms and their surrounding environment.
It noted that recent school violence shows the need to invest in adolescent health and development programs that equip young people with critical life skills, emotional resilience, sound decision-making abilities and healthy relationship practices.
In a related development, the developer of the video game GoreBox, based in Germany, has declined to participate in the Senate inquiry into the June 22 school shooting in Tacloban.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, chairman of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, confirmed that GoreBox developer Felix Filip informed the committee through email that he would not attend the hearing, either in person or via videoconference.
