Manila: The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday emphasized the need for expanded mental health and reporting systems to effectively address incidents of school violence. This statement comes in the wake of the first-ever active shooter drill conducted at the National Safe Schools Summit held at Manila Science High School.

According to Philippines News Agency, Education Secretary Sonny Angara highlighted that ensuring school safety requires more than just active shooter drills. In a statement, he stressed the importance of prioritizing students' mental and emotional well-being. Angara called for accessible helplines and guidance within schools to support students without fear of stigma or reprisal.

To bolster these efforts, DepEd has expanded its National Learners TeleSafe Contact Center Helpline (LTCCH) to all regions, providing essential psychological support services in collaboration with the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH). This initiative allows students to report concerns safely and ensures their issues are addressed promptly.

Moreover, the department is accelerating the hiring of approximately 10,000 School Counselor Associates (SCAs) following the approval of qualification standards from the Civil Service Commission (CSC). These SCAs are tasked with enhancing direct support to address students' mental health and emotional needs.

Public schools are also implementing localized anti-bullying measures and basic security protocols, such as regular bag checks, under DepEd Order 6, s. 2026, which outlines the Guidelines on Ensuring a Safe and Motivating Learning Environment (ESMLE). This initiative includes teaching early warning signs of abuse through social-emotional learning (SEL) integrated into the curriculum.

In addition to mental health and reporting services, Angara emphasized the importance of inter-agency collaboration to strengthen security measures in public schools. This includes conducting nationwide school safety audits, increasing police visibility, and proposing budget increases for security personnel, CCTV systems, metal detectors, and school perimeter fence repairs.

Angara noted that an estimated PHP8 billion is ideally required to meet the security needs of all public schools across the country.