MANILA — Barangay security officers or tanods can now be deployed to patrol public and private schools, academic institutions, and Department of Education-supervised Community Learning Centers under a new collaborative security initiative.
The expanded campus protection program is formalized through a memorandum of agreement signed by Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Education Secretary Sonny Angara. The pact establishes tighter operational coordination among the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), DepEd, local government units (LGUs), barangays, school administrators, and local law enforcement.
Under the new guidelines, barangay personnel can step in to bolster existing campus security protocols, especially during crises that endanger students, teachers, and school staff.
The DILG noted that schools can reach out to local governments for emergency backing to fend off immediate threats, isolate impacted zones, and hand over incidents to proper authorities.
“Schools may also establish partnerships with their respective local government units and request assistance during security incidents to protect individuals from imminent harm, secure affected areas, and refer incidents to school authorities or law enforcement,” the agency stated.
The partnership also grants designated security personnel the authority to carry out checks at school entry points under strict procedural safeguards.
“Barangay tanods (security officers) may conduct authorized inspections of bags, personal belongings, and vehicles at designated school entrances. In the absence of full-body electronic scanners, bag scanners and entry inspections must be conducted using authorized non-contact methods,” the DILG added.
To ensure smooth rollout, the DILG will extend technical support to LGUs, while the DepEd will roll out policy directives and capacity-building assistance across schools division offices.
The security push comes in the wake of mounting anxieties over school safety following three recent shooting incidents on school grounds.
Remulla emphasized that shielding students and educators demands a unified front from community leaders and state agencies amid growing safety worries from parents.
“Hindi ko po pinapangako ang perpektong programa, pero ang pinapangako ko na magkakasama kaming lahat para maibsan ang problemang ito,” Remulla stated.
Echoing these sentiments, Angara lauded the agreement and underscored how vital barangay networks are in scaling up security across nationwide learning facilities.
“Maraming salamat sa DILG at napakabilis ng aksiyon. Biruin mo 42,000 barangays ng DILG ang magmobilize para sa ating DepEd schools. We look forward to keeping our schools safer,” Angara said.
To mark the launch, key officials and media members signed the “Panata para sa Mas Ligtas na Paaralan,” pledging to foster peaceful, healthy, and secure academic spaces free from abuse, bullying, violence, and discrimination. The event also featured a live demonstration of Unified 911 back-office capabilities, highlighting a simulated emergency response to a reported school shooting at Cembo Elementary School alongside a classroom drill.
Through this multi-agency alliance, the government seeks to tighten communication channels among educational institutions, barangays, LGUs, and first responders to cultivate safe spaces focused on learning.