Education Secretary Sonny Angara appealed to parents and guardians on Monday, August 31, to take a proactive stance against school-related violence by closely monitoring their children and collaborating with educators, emphasizing that student safety originates in the home.
“Hindi natin kayang solusyunan ang karahasan sa mga paaralan kung sa loob lang ng classroom tayo kumikilos. Ang tahanan ang ating unang depensa,” Angara stated in an official release.
The Department of Education (DepEd) head encouraged families to maintain open communication with their children, remain attentive to personal challenges, and cooperate with school authorities to detect potential warning signs early.
“Kausapin natin ang ating mga anak araw-araw, pakinggan natin ang kanilang mga pinagdaraanan, at makipag-ugnayan tayo sa kanilang mga guro at paaralan. Kailangan nating matutunang mapansin ang mga red flags at pagbabago sa kilos ng bata bago pa man umabot sa pananakit o bullying. Ipadama natin sa kanila na hindi sila nag-iisa,” he emphasized.
To reinforce home-school partnerships, DepEd is expanding its Kaagapay Program under DepEd Memorandum No. 002, s. 2026, aligning it with the Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) Program created under Republic Act No. 11908. The initiative provides parent organizations with practical training to identify early behavioral changes, address issues, and coordinate with school guidance officers and Child Protection Committees.
DepEd is partnering with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to unify the PES and Kaagapay modules, enabling nationwide implementation to combat root causes of youth violence, including digital safety risks and mental health struggles.
Between July and November, the agency is also executing a specialized learner protection initiative across seven regions: the Cordillera Administrative Region, National Capital Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Bicol Region.
Developed alongside ChildFund Philippines, Stairway Foundation Inc., and Meta Philippines, the curriculum covers digital safety tools, bullying prevention, online exploitation, and referral processes.
Trained regional and division Learner Rights and Protection officers are overseeing local training for program facilitators. Additionally, Parent-Teacher Associations and School Governing Councils are integrating these educational frameworks into existing campus safety programs.
“Shared accountability ang pagprotekta sa ating mga mag-aaral. Sa pagtutulungan ng paaralan, magulang, at komunidad, masisiguro natin na ligtas, nababantayan, at may nagmamahal sa bawat batang Pilipino,” Angara concluded.