President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed concerned government agencies to strengthen school security and improve the early detection of behavioral warning signs among students to prevent incidents of violence and ensure the safety of schoolchildren nationwide.
“Ang utos ng Pangulo, unang-una po, kailangan ang mga teachers, ang mga teaching personnel, sila po ay mabigyan ng kaalaman through a psychologist, psychiatrist para malaman kung ang isang bata ba ay may senyales na,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a press briefing in Cagayan de Oro on Tuesday.
Castro said the President wants teachers and other school personnel to receive appropriate training from psychologists and psychiatrists to help them recognize early warning signs of behavioral problems among students.
The President also directed closer coordination among teachers, parents, barangay officials, and social workers to strengthen efforts to prevent school violence.
Castro said barangay officials and barangay tanods should also be mobilized to strengthen security around schools, particularly through increased visibility and monitoring in surrounding areas.
The directive came following reports of separate incidents involving minors, including a 12-year-old student who was allegedly found carrying a firearm near an elementary school in Misamis Oriental on October 22 and a 13-year-old student who allegedly stabbed an 11-year-old schoolmate in Davao City on October 24.
Castro said the Department of Education (DepEd) has proposed a P500-million allocation under the 2027 national budget to strengthen school security and safety measures, including personnel, facilities, and programs aimed at protecting learners. She added that 45,994 learner formation officers are assigned to schools nationwide, with 36,713 schools having designated personnel responsible for values formation, discipline management, learner engagement, and early intervention for students experiencing social, emotional, or behavioral difficulties.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is stepping up efforts to educate parents and teachers on identifying behavioral changes and signs of emotional distress among children through its social workers.
These interventions also focus on helping parents recognize potential warning signs among children who spend extended periods alone or engage in potentially harmful online activities.
“So, maraming interventions ngayon ang DSWD at DepEd. At iyon nga po ang utos ng Pangulo, kailangan na mas mabigyan pa ng sapat na kaalaman ang mga teachers at teaching personnel para mas magabayan nila ang mga estudyante sa school,” Castro said. (LB)