MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has committed to extend a full and strong support system to establish protocol during safety threats and emergency situations.
As an initial show of support, the PNP said it would mobilize a sufficient number of personnel and resources for the planned nationwide school safety drills set by the Department of Education (DepEd) on Aug. 25, 2026.
Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the PNP has been very supportive of all the programs and plans of the DepEd and such coordination and partnership were further strengthened following the recent incidents in schools that compromised the safety of the learners.
“We have been involved in crafting measures to ensure the protection of learners and every learning space. The hard work is not yet done since your PNP will also be there to make sure that these safety measures are properly implemented in every school,” the PNP chief said.
The school safety drills were initially tested in some schools after the PNP and the DepEd, in coordination with other stakeholders, crafted the protocol for teachers and learners’ safety.
Nartatez said the drills will help students, teachers, and other school personnel understand what to do when confronted with a security threat. Police units will also use the exercises to test and improve coordination with school authorities and local government officials.
He directed local police units to coordinate closely with school authorities and barangay officials before and during the exercises. The coordination will cover police response, communication and other procedures that may be needed during an actual emergency.
“These drills will intensify coordination mechanisms among the police, school authorities, and barangay officials especially whenever there are threat situations,” Nartatez said.
The DepEd will spearhead the nationwide school safety drills on Aug. 25 to strengthen security measures and help prevent violence on school premises across the country.
