Manila: Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday renewed his call for safer schools and stronger values education following a series of violent incidents in schools, as the country marks School Safety Month this July. Established under Proclamation No. 115-A, s. 1966, School Safety Month aims to promote safe, secure, and resilient learning environments by raising awareness and encouraging preparedness and shared responsibility among schools, families, communities, and government.

According to Philippines News Agency, Cayetano issued the call in the wake of several violent incidents involving students that have renewed concerns over school safety. Among the most serious was the recent shooting at a school in Tacloban City, where three students were killed and several others were injured. Separate stabbing incidents involving students were also reported in Cavite and Negros Occidental. Authorities are continuing their investigations into the Tacloban shooting, one of the deadliest school-related incidents in recent years, prompting renewed calls from educators, lawmakers, and child advocates to strengthen campus security and violence prevention measures.

"We cannot allow violence at the home, in church, in school. Noong araw iyan ang safe space. Pero ngayon sa ibang parte ng mundo marami na sa school ang nangyayari (They used to be safe spaces. But now in other parts of the world, a lot of violence happens in schools)," Cayetano said in a statement. Cayetano has filed several bills aimed at strengthening values education as part of broader efforts to help prevent violence among the youth. He said schools, homes, and places of worship must remain the safest spaces for children, adding that protecting young Filipinos requires the shared commitment of parents, educators, communities, and government.