THE Department of Education (DepEd) announced that the National Simultaneous School Safety Drill is scheduled for Sept. 3, as agreed upon by members of the medical and mental health sectors.
"Our goal for September 3 is to build calm operational confidence and muscle memory through proper orientation, not fear. Preparedness saves lives, and trauma-informed execution protects our learners," Education Secretary Sonny Angara said in a statement on Tuesday.
The DepEd said the exercise will not include hyper-realistic or fear-inducing elements like threat simulations, active aggressor role-players, bladed or blunt weapons, and graphic elements like firearms, pyrotechnics, simulated gunfire, and artificial casualties.
"Learners will also practice a compliance posture of raising hands high, empty and visible, upon encountering first responders during evacuation," it said.
The DepEd added that a signal different from earthquake or fire alarms would initiate the drill, noting schools would focus only on building proactive awareness without generating distress.
The DepEd said that guidance staff and school health officers would provide psychological first aid and debriefing. "Schools will also establish clear referral arrangements with DepEd Schools Division Offices, local government units, and health facilities for learners needing specialized mental health care," it said.
The DepEd said the rescheduled drill would be done in continuous dialogues with medical and mental health partners, including the Philippine Psychiatric Association, the Philippine Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Philippine Pediatric Society, to ensure safety protocols align with child-centered, trauma-informed standards under the Do No Harm directive.
Coordination with the Philippine National Police would focus exclusively on external perimeter security, emergency notification systems, testing dispatch response times, and post-incident learner tracking.
"Safety is not just about physical security; it is equally about protecting our children's peace of mind. We are working closely with our medical experts and psychiatric societies to ensure our shared priority for the total well-being of our children remains at the center of our implementation," Angara said.
The DepEd said that before the drill, participating schools were required to prepare activities including capacity-building training for teachers, school readiness assessments, and age-appropriate orientations for learners.
Informed written parental consent was required to join the exercise.
