While active shooter drills have become an integral part of campus safety, Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara said they are also prioritizing the mental health of learners and safeguarding physical security.
Angara said that they recognize that drills alone do not solve the broader issue of school violence, but building a safer environment as the department is actively strengthening its protective reporting mechanisms for learners in distress.
‘Hindi sapat na masanay lang ang ating mga mag-aaral sa mga drill para sa kanilang pisikal na kaligtasan; 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,’ Angara said.
This approach aligns with the nationwide, multi-agency effort directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to strengthen school safety measures.
DepEd spearheaded the launch of active attack safety drills in schools during the National Safe Schools Summit held at Manila Science High School on Wednesday.
These drills are part of a broader, proactive safety framework that includes a nationwide school safety audit, increased police patrols, and dedicated funding for CCTV systems, metal detectors, and school perimeter fence repairs.
DepEd has expanded its National Learners TeleSafe Contact Center Helpline (LTCCH) to all regions, allowing learners to report without fear. Through a strategic partnership with the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH), the helpline will ensure that crucial psychological support services are more accessible to the youth.
Following the Civil Service Commission’s approval of qualification standards, DepEd is also fast-tracking the hiring of some 10,000 School Counselor Associates (SCAs). These new associates will provide direct, school-level support to address learners’ mental health concerns and emotional well-being.
Under the Guidelines on Ensuring a Safe and Motivating Learning Environment (ESMLE) or DepEd Order No. 6, s. 2026, campuses are also adopting localized anti-bullying measures and basic security protocols such as regular bag checks.
Learners are also being taught to identify the early warning signs of both online and offline abuse through social-emotional learning (SEL) integrated into the curriculum and classroom-based discussions centered on identifying red-flags of abuse, learner’s rights, anti-bullying programs, reporting and referral mechanisms, and promotion of help-seeking behavior.
Through collaboration with families, local governments, law enforcement agencies, and communities, DepEd remains fully committed to ensuring every school is a sanctuary where learners are safe, happy, and thriving.
DepEd-7, PNP eye active shooter drill protocols
The DepEd-7 is working on a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Philippine National Police (PNP) to develop protocols for active shooter drills in public schools, as the agency steps up efforts to improve campus safety while ensuring schools remain places of learning rather than militarized spaces.
DepEd-7 Legal Officer IV Atty. Leslie Joie Babatuan said the proposed agreement, which is still being finalized at the regional level, seeks to establish clear procedures for responding to active threats in schools following recent incidents that have raised concerns over campus security.
‘As to safety and security, we have initiated a MOA between DepEd and PNP. This is at the regional level. It is not yet final. But we are looking at sitting down with the PNP on coming up with protocols on active shooter drills,’ Babatuan said during a Hisgutan Ta! Media Forum on Thursday, July 16.
She noted that an active shooter drill was recently conducted in a school in Cebu City through the collaboration of the PNP, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) units, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and other agencies.
DepEd-7 is now studying how the education sector can support similar initiatives while remaining consistent with existing policies on law enforcement presence in schools.
‘DepEd also has its own policy with regard to the presence of police officers and the presence of firearms in schools. As much as possible, we do not want to normalize that. What we want is for schools to be ready, but at the same time, we would rather intensify prevention measures,’ Babatuan said.
She stressed that schools should continue to be regarded as ‘zones of peace’ where students can learn without fear.
‘The school is supposed to be a zone of peace. It’s an area where our kids learn, and we do not want them to feel that the school is militarized. But this is the reality of our times, so we also need to adjust and be responsive to present-day realities,’ she added.
Babatuan said the DepEd Central Office recently conducted a nationwide school safety audit to assess the readiness of schools and identify gaps in security infrastructure.
The audit examined whether schools have facilities such as closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, metal detectors, and security guards. She acknowledged that many schools still lack these resources.
‘Believe it or not, some schools don’t have that because that’s not our norm. We don’t want to normalize it,’ she said.
The assessment is intended to help DepEd prioritize the deployment of safety equipment and personnel where they are most needed.
Beyond physical security, Babatuan emphasized that the department continues to focus on preventive measures and learner welfare.
She said DepEd is strengthening guidance and mental health services, with the Central Office recently announcing plans to intensify the hiring of school counselor associates.
At the school level, mechanisms for learner protection are already in place through Child Protection Committees, guidance counselors, learner rights and protection focal persons, and learner formation officers.
‘The mechanisms and protocols are established. The handling, psychological first aid, psychosocial interventions, even the mental health assistance for the children is already established,’ Babatuan said.
She added that while school violence and active threats remain relatively uncommon, DepEd believes schools must be prepared for emergencies without compromising their role as safe learning environments.
‘We’d rather dwell on prevention than response,’ Babatuan said, underscoring the department’s goal of balancing preparedness with efforts to protect the well-being of learners.