The country is facing “an emergency” amid the increase in violence in
schools following the shooting incident in Tacloban and stabbing in Las
Piñas City, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said on Monday, Aug. 3.
In an interview with The Philippine STAR’s
Truth On The Line, Angara acknowledged that aside from the learning
crisis, the Department of Education (DepEd) is facing another crisis
brought by violence in schools.
“I think there are definitely
aspects of our education system that need to be rescued in the ER. It’s
an emergency. That’s why the Marcos administration prioritized this.
Definitely, we had our first shooting in Tacloban a few weeks ago. It’s a
game changer. This is the first time in the Philippines and now we’re
conducting active shooter drills,” he said.
Three students were
killed, while more than 20 others were wounded after two minors aged 15
and 14 entered two classrooms and opened fire at 40 to 50 of their
classmates at the San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, Leyte
on June 22.
Most recently, police said the stabbing – in which a
13-year-old Grade 9 student was killed by his 14-year-old classmate – in
Las Piñas National High School on Friday was triggered by an argument
over change.
“But I think it’s just reactive. We must also be
preventive in our scope. We address the deeper, more complex problems.
Usually there are family issues, social media issues, issues in handling
the school community, bullying, family problems… It’s a very complex
phenomenon, school violence, but I think what our parents want is a
safer environment,” Angara added.
He said school authorities should also look for red flags or risk factors to prevent violence in schools.
“If
we see a child’s behavior is changing – not engaging, absences, getting
into arguments with classmates – maybe there’s an aspect that our
educators and non-teaching staff must be better at spotting some of
these warning signs so it doesn’t escalate to a point where it will
become violence. Because adolescence is a very turbulent period for many
individuals,” Angara noted.
He said bullying and social media contribute to the violence among learners.
“We
should treat them not just as students, but also as members of a larger
family or community and have a more caring attitude,” Angara said.
He said efforts are being made to improve security in schools.
“We
are also strict on security aspects, dealing with security, like having
better security protocols, having CCTVs, having metal detectors, fixing
the fences and coordinating with other government agencies. So, when it
comes to peace and order, of course you’re talking about the Philippine
National Police (PNP), Department of the Interior and Local Government
and local barangay officials. Coordination is important,” Angara added.
He
said the DepEd and concerned authorities are also monitoring the
nihilistic violent extremist groups, which are on the lookout for
disillusioned, depressed, angry youth.
“The aim is to recruit them
and to do violent acts. So, we need to monitor this. The PNP experts,
DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology) and DOJ
(Department of Justice) already explained this. These are networks which
have worked for many years dealing with things like sexual harassment,
trafficking, etc. So now, these networks are expanding and targeting the
youth for violence, terrorism, things like that,” Angara said.
At the same time, he backed a proposal to limit the exposure of minors to social media.
He
noted that the use of cellphones inside classrooms is prohibited in all
schools nationwide. “If ever, the cellphones can only be used during
recess, dismissal, but as long as they’re on school time or class time,
they cannot use a cellphone,” he said.
Angara said DepEd will tap
the assistance of the Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD) to ensure that parents of 4Ps beneficiaries monitor their
children.
“I talked to (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian and he said
they’re trying to inculcate it in the 4Ps program. Parents should be
good examples since they are receiving assistance. Part of their
responsibility is to be good parents,” he said.
On the other hand,
Angara said DepEd needs at least P30 billion to P40 billion to fully
implement Republic Act 12080 or the Mental Health and Wellness Act and
hire 45,000 counselors and 45,000 counselor associates.
“We have
money, but the truth is you need to create those positions. Those
positions don’t create themselves,” he said, noting DepEd’s budget
exceeded P1 trillion for the first time.
Knife bought online
The fan knife or balisong
used by a Grade 9 student of Las Piñas National High School to kill his
classmate was bought online, according to the city’s acting police
chief.
Col. Fermin Armendarez III told True FM on Monday that police could not extract further information from the 14-year-old suspect because “he’s not yet stable.”
“In
the future, the WCPD (Women and Children Protection Desk) can interview
him so we can get complete details as to how he acquired the balisong,”
Armendarez said.
The suspect stabbed his 13-year-old classmate in
the chest on July 31 at the school after failing to receive P10 in
change from the victim, who bought water for him during recess.
“We
will talk with the school administrators to conduct an appropriate
administrative investigation to maybe determine the lapses committed by
the security guard and to recommend additional preventive measures,”
Armendarez said.
The suspect is now in the custody of the city’s Bahay Pag-asa.
Ban sought
Gen.
Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., PNP chief, said on Monday the police may
recommend banning “excessively violent” television programs and
restricting violent content on social media platforms as part of efforts
to address the rising incidents of violence involving minors.
Nartatez
said recent attacks in schools should not be viewed as isolated
incidents, stressing that violence among children is influenced by
factors beyond the campus.
“It’s not only schools that have a
problem. We have to look at where the child came from and the
environment he or she is exposed to, including the family, the community
and social media,” he said during a press briefing at Camp Crame.
Meanwhile,
face-to-face classes at Lapasan National High School (LNHS) in Cagayan
de Oro City were suspended on Monday after an online post circulating on
social media allegedly threatened a mass shooting at the school,
prompting local officials to take precautionary measures while
authorities investigate.
Ferdinand Vinco, LNHS principal, said he
was informed of the alleged threat late Sunday night by Lapasan barangay
captain Julito Ogsimer.
“The safety of our students, teachers and
personnel is our top priority,” Vinco said, adding that the suspension
was a preventive measure while police verify the credibility of the
threat.
Angara on Monday commended the PNP for its swift arrest of
persons behind online school threats, as he cited the importance of a
unified approach involving law enforcement, local governments, parents,
schools and communities to maintain safe, orderly and uninterrupted
learning environments.
Recent police operations have led to
criminal proceedings across several provinces including Pampanga, Nueva
Ecija, Bulacan, Cavite against teenage transgressors. – With EJ Macababbad, Mark Ernest Villeza, Gerry Lee Gorit
