SENATE President Sherwin Gatchalian on Sunday pushed for the passage of the Comprehensive School Safety Act or Senate Bill 2426 following a series of violent incidents in schools, the latest of which was at Banga National High School in South Cotabato.
The measure seeks to establish a National Comprehensive School Safety Framework that would set standards in preventing, responding to, and recovering from threats and incidents affecting school safety.
Under the bill, the Department of Education (DepEd), in coordination with various government agencies and local government units, would lead the establishment, maintenance and periodic updating of the national framework.
Gatchalian, a co-author and co-sponsor of the measure, said schools need to move beyond responding to incidents after they occur and instead adopt proactive measures to identify and prevent threats.
“Reactive response is not enough. We need to be proactive — identify threats, prevent incidents before they happen, and ensure that every school is safe,” Gatchalian said in a statement.
The proposed law would require every school to develop and annually update a School Safety Plan to localize and implement the national framework based on its specific needs and circumstances.
Schools would also be required to prepare and regularly update a School Safety Handbook containing policies, procedures, emergency information and learner support services.
The handbook would include a School Code of Conduct defining unacceptable acts and the corresponding disciplinary and restorative interventions.
The measure aims to provide schools with a comprehensive system covering prevention, emergency response and recovery, rather than relying solely on reactive measures after violent incidents occur.
Meanwhile, Sen. Pia Cayetano called for stronger safeguards to protect children both offline and online, as she expressed sympathy to the families and school community of Banga National High School.
“My heart goes out to the families and the school community of Banga National High School. We send our children to school trusting they will come home with stories about their day,” Cayetano said in a statement.
“It is heartbreaking to think of families whose wait ended in tragedy. We pray for those grieving and for the recovery of the injured. Let us support them and avoid speculation,” she added.
Cayetano urged the public to support the affected families and school community and refrain from speculation surrounding the incident.
“As we strengthen the support our children receive at home, in school, and in the community, we must also look closely at the online spaces they enter. We need to know who is reaching them, what they are being shown, and whether they feel safe asking us for help,” she said.
The senator specifically cited social media, messaging platforms and gaming communities, saying these online spaces must not become channels for encouraging violence or exploiting children.
“This requires the whole nation working together. Every child should have someone to turn to and a community ready to protect them. That responsibility extends wherever they learn, interact, and seek belonging — including online,” she added.
