Manila: The Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday lauded the efforts of local government units (LGUs) and private partners to heighten security efforts in public schools nationwide. This comes amid its urgent nationwide School Safety Campaign, following the incident reports of school violence in public schools across the country.
According to Philippines News Agency, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara expressed his gratitude for those behind the external funding of upgraded security equipment like closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and metal detectors. "Tayo po sa Kagawaran ay labis na nagpapasalamat sa ating mga katuwang sa LGU at pribadong sektor, pati na rin sa ating mga masisipag na PTA (Parent-Teachers Association), sa kanilang agarang pag-aksyon para sa kaligtasan ng ating mga mag-aaral (We, in the department, thank our partner LGUs and private sector very much, even the diligent PTA, for their immediate actions for the safety of our learners)," he said in a statement following his campus visit at the Alfonso Casta±eda National High School in Nueva Vizcaya.
Angara spearheaded a targeted school safety inspection and dialogue at the said school, where he assessed the school's security protocols and led a thorough inspection of its active CCTV coverage. Other senior DepEd officials also conducted parallel school inspections and localized evaluations across different regions.
The agency's nationwide safety campaign covers a more stringent screening, comprehensive safety audits, and psychosocial support mechanisms. DepEd field offices, LGUs, and local stakeholders, have also mobilized to secure public school perimeters and entryways.
In Eastern Visayas, the Tacloban Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce Inc. pledged to donate 20 metal detectors to the Tacloban City Schools Division Office (SDO) following the shooting incident at the San Jose National High School in Tacloban City. The Maasin City LGU, meanwhile, passed a resolution to purchase metal detectors for its high schools and large campuses, while its parent-teacher associations (PTAs) donated one metal detector to Cabadiangan Elementary School and three metal detectors and four CCTV cameras to Maasin Central School.
The Zamboanga Peninsula region also logged donations, including six metal detectors across various campuses in the Schools Division Office (SDO)-Dipolog City, from individual benefactors and the Brgy. Estaka Council. The Aboitiz company also donated four CCTV units to Mabini Elementary School in SDO Zamboanga Sibugay.
In Iriga City, the Iriga Central School PTA raised PHP100,000 to install 24 CCTV cameras with a monitoring system. In SDO Catanduanes, Panganiban National High School acquired four CCTV units worth PHP32,000, while Magnesia National High School installed four CCTV units funded under the Special Education Fund (SEF).
In Binmaley, Pangasinan, the LGU pledged to allocate metal detectors for all local schools, while Malolos City provided public schools with handheld metal detectors. Similar plans are underway to seek funding for handheld metal detectors for public school security guards through the Local School Board in Cebu City. Authorities in Cauayan City are actively studying metal detector implementation.
Schools are currently utilizing their maintenance and other operating expenses alongside crucial LGU subsidies to sustain these localized safety initiatives.
