SENATE President Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday called for stronger collaborative ties among school communities, local governments, and law enforcement agencies.
The appeal follows a wave of malicious bomb threats targeting major universities in Metro Manila, disrupting academic operations and raising public anxiety.
“Amid the various threats to the safety of our schools, it is crucial that we strengthen community involvement in bolstering school security,” Gatchalian said. “We can achieve this through the Comprehensive School Safety Act, which we approved in the Senate.”
Gatchalian’s call follows a directive from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), which ordered an intensified bomb threat awareness campaign in Metro Manila campuses.
The alert was triggered after several institutions — including the University of Santo Tomas (UST), De La Salle University (DLSU), and Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) — received threatening messages that prompted campus evacuations and a temporary shift to remote learning mode.
In response, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered an exhaustive review of explosive-threat response protocols.
Concurrently, NCRPO authorities reminded the public that circulating false bomb scares is a severe criminal offense under Presidential Decree (PD) 1727, also known as the Anti-Bomb Joke Law. Violators face up to five years of imprisonment, a fine of up to P40,000, or both.
Furthermore, because these recent threats were transmitted online, the PNP warned it will file charges under the Cybercrime Prevention Act (Republic Act (RA) 10175), which raises the criminal penalty by one degree.
To build a proactive defense framework against these disruptions, Gatchalian sought the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 2426, or the Comprehensive School Safety Act.
The Senate unanimously approved the bill on its third and final reading, and it seeks to institutionalize a permanent National Comprehensive School Safety Framework.
At its core, the measure mandates enhanced physical infrastructure and security hardware. The bill strictly requires both public and private schools to integrate upgraded safety screening systems at all campus access points.
This includes installing closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in common areas, mandating walk-through or handheld metal detectors, and requiring trained security personnel to conduct strict bag checks to prevent weapons and hazardous materials from entering school grounds.
Once fully enacted, the law mandates the Department of Education (DepEd) to lead the implementation and regular updating of safety standards alongside local government units (LGUs) and the PNP.
Under this system, the PNP will actively assist schools with infrastructure security, screening procedures, and visible campus policing, while LGUs will finance and support localized safety programs.
“It is important to ensure the safety of our students so that their studies can proceed smoothly and without interruption,” Gatchalian emphasized, reiterating that a whole-of-community approach is paramount to shielding learners from campus terror.
