MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is “heartbroken” over the deadly school shooting in Tacloban City and other recent violent incidents involving the youth and has ordered government agencies to identify the root causes of such occurrences, Malacañang said Thursday.
In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said the chief executive considered the growing number of youth-related violence cases “deeply alarming,” especially when children are both the perpetrators and victims.
“These types of violence are no longer acceptable, especially when young people are involved,” Castro said in Filipino, referring to the Tacloban school shooting that left three dead and several others injured and the stabbing incident in General Trias in Cavite involving elementary-aged children.
Marcos, Castro added, has directed concerned agencies to strengthen school safety measures nationwide and immediately investigate the factors driving youth violence.
The president likewise tasked authorities to determine whether exposure to violent content, including some gaming applications, may be influencing the behavior of young people.
“So, we should really see where it is coming from – if there is imitation, since this kind of violence is seemingly becoming normal,” Castro said.
Meanwhile, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Nicholas Torre III warned that youth violence needed urgent intervention and called for stronger protection measures.
Torre said the incidents should not be treated as separate cases but as warning signs of deeper issues affecting young people.
He said violence among young people often developed from unresolved conflicts, bullying, humiliation, unmanaged anger, and situations where students feel they have no one to turn to.
Torre said schools and communities needed stronger systems to identify students who may be struggling before conflicts escalated into violence.
He called for improved anti-bullying programs, intervention mechanisms, and accessible support channels for students facing threats, isolation, or distress.
“We cannot wait until a child is stabbed, beaten, or driven to harm himself before we decide to act,” Torre said.
Torre added that protecting children requires shared responsibility from parents, schools, communities, online platforms, and government.
“Our children deserve more than condolences after every tragedy. They deserve protection before it happens,” he said.
