Education Secretary Sonny Angara called for tighter security partnerships and earlier mental health interventions during a visit to Banga National High School in South Cotabato on Saturday, following a deadly shooting incident on campus grounds.
During his visit, Angara met with local leaders, school personnel, parents and law enforcement officers to evaluate security vulnerabilities and align on emergency measures. His itinerary included a campus inspection, attendance at security debriefings, visits to the wakes of the victims and bedside visits to hospitalized survivors.
The Education chief admitted that the agency’s primary emphasis on academics has left educational institutions underprepared for instances of campus violence.
“No words can undo the grief and trauma felt by our families here in Banga. Our primary duty right now is care, providing real, sustained support to our learners, teachers and personnel,” Angara said.
“We really need to step up security measures because we are not truly prepared for shootings like this. We are concentrated on the academic performance of the children,” Angara added in Filipino. “The entire community must come together, including the local government, to fund security guards.”
Angara expressed appreciation to the provincial government of South Cotabato, headed by Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., for stepping in to finance campus security personnel. In addition, the Department of Education (DepEd) requested local barangay officials and community watchmen (tanods) to bolster law enforcement presence, particularly around school premises that lack permanent security guards.
Addressing the psychological toll of such events, Angara highlighted the urgency of early mental health support, pointing out that student distress can frequently remain hidden.
“The mental health of our youth is also affected. We need to step up our interventions because sometimes it is not obvious. Teachers sometimes say a child is smart and has no problems, but underlying issues exist. That is why we are hiring School Counselor Associates to help significantly,” Angara said.
In response to the crisis, DepEd has dispatched Psychological First Aid teams to support traumatized students, faculty, and administrative staff. Aligning with instructions from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the department is expediting a comprehensive review of existing campus safety protocols in coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
To formalize these efforts, Angara proposed establishing a Joint School Safety Task Force alongside the PNP and DILG to execute localized safety assessments across schools nationwide.
In the interim, face-to-face classes at Banga National High School have been temporarily suspended or transitioned to distance learning while police conduct their investigation and crisis management teams carry out support operations.
DepEd also appealed to the public to refrain from circulating unverified media concerning the tragedy and to honor the privacy of the grieving families.