MANILA, Philippines — School communities across Zamboanga has mobilized shared governance networks and local partnerships to reinforce campus security and prioritize learner and personnel well being following the school shooting at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University last Tuesday.
The response follows Education Secretary Sonny Angara's visit to the the school on Wednesday to offer support and assess security concerns.
During a coordination meeting held on Thursday, Department of Education Region 9 Regional Director Ronelo Al Firmo met with school heads and reiterated Angara's urgent directive to tighten security protocols while placing equal emphasis on the mental health and psychosocial welfare of all learners and school staff.
“Under the mandate of President Bongbong Marcos, our top priority is to make our schools safe havens for learning. That is why we will further strengthen coordination with our partners and stakeholders—from local officials to law enforcement—to ensure that our children can learn without fear.”Angara previously said.
Firmo highlighted the role of collaborative governance in engaging parents, local government units (LGUs), law enforcement, and community partners to fortify protective measures within school grounds.
Among the proactive steps being implemented were early threat monitoring, sustained police visibility along school perimeters, stricter campus access controls, and the provision of metal detectors in schools
These initiatives align with the DepEd Guidelines on Ensuring a Safe and Motivating Learning Environment (ESMLE).
On Thursday, Cabinet Secretary Benhur Abalos and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla also visited Ateneo de Zamboanga University to reinforce inter-agency support measures.
