SENATE President Sherwin Gatchalian called for stronger security measures in schools in response to a slew of fatal shootings on campuses involving learners.
The senator made the call as the country observes National School Safety Week.
”Our schools are safe spaces where there should be no room for any form of violence. We will continue to push for legislation, programs and policies to uphold the safety and well-being of our students,” Gatchalian said.
He cited Senate Bill (SB) 2426, or the proposed Comprehensive School Safety Act, which seeks to establish a National School Safety Framework prescribing minimum standards for preventing, responding to, and recovering from threats and incidents affecting schools.
Under the measure, the Department of Education, in coordination with other government agencies, local government units and stakeholders, would establish and maintain the framework.
Schools would be required to develop their own safety plans based on the national standards and update these every three years. The measure provides for a school safety handbook to guide schools in implementing security policies and emergency procedures.
The bill was approved on third and final reading on Sept. 21, following a series of violent incidents that heightened concerns over campus security.
These included shootings at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City in June, Ateneo de Zamboanga University in August and Banga National High School in South Cotabato in September.
Gatchalian cited SB 2424, or the proposed Safe Media Access and Responsible Technology for Kids in Digital Spaces (Smart KIDS) Act, which seeks to protect minors from harmful online environments by restricting their access to social media and other high-risk digital services.
The Senate approved the measure on third and final reading on Oct. 8. It would prohibit children under 16 years old from accessing covered social media platforms and require platforms to take measures against accounts found to belong to underage users.
The two measures seek to strengthen child protection through complementary approaches: improving safety protocols in schools and addressing potential risks in digital spaces frequented by young people.
”We look forward to the continued enactment of these two measures for the better protection of our students,” Gatchalian said. JAVIER JOE ISMAEL
