The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday advocated for the strengthening of campus safety by expanding both mental health support and reporting networks to better prevent and address school-related violence.
This call to action from Education Secretary Sonny Angara came a day after Manila Science High School hosted the country’s first-ever active shooter simulation during Wednesday’s National Safe Schools Summit.
Angara emphasized that safeguarding students requires looking beyond physical emergency drills alone.
”Hindi sapat na masanay lang ang ating mga mag-aaral sa mga drill para sa kanilang pisikal na kaligtasan,” Angara said. “Kailangan din nating siguruhin ang kanilang mental at emosyonal na kalusugan, at tiyaking may malalapitan silang helpline at mga gabay sa bawat paaralan nang walang takot.”
To reinforce student support systems, Angara highlighted current DepEd initiatives, including the nationwide deployment of the National Learners TeleSafe Contact Center Helpline (LTCCH).
Run in partnership with the National Center for Mental Health, the helpline provides students with a confidential avenue to report concerns and access immediate psychological counseling.
Additionally, the department is accelerating the recruitment of approximately 10,000 School Counselor Associates, following the Civil Service Commission’s approval of the necessary qualification guidelines to expand school-level guidance.
Meanwhile, campuses are executing localized anti-bullying measures and routine physical security protocols, such as random bag inspections, under DepEd Order 6, s. 2026. Schools are also embedding social-emotional learning (SEL) into their curricula to help students recognize the early indicators of mistreatment both online and offline.
The SEL framework highlights “red flags of abuse, learners’ rights, anti-bullying programs, reporting and referral mechanisms, and promotion of help-seeking behavior.”
Angara also stressed the need for closer collaboration with other government agencies to fortify public school security. Planned initiatives include a comprehensive nationwide school safety assessment and heightened police visibility.
The education chief pointed to budget requests aimed at hiring security guards and procuring equipment like surveillance cameras, metal detectors, and perimeter fence restorations.
“About ₱8 billion in funds is “ideally” needed to cover the security demands in all public schools across the country,” Angara said.