Aimed at strengthening emergency preparedness and ensure the safety of students and staff.
On Thursday, September 3, the Department of Education (DepEd) led the National Simultaneous School Safety Drill this Thursday in public and private schools nationwide, which looks to strengthen coordination among various agencies amid active threat scenarios in accordance with localized School Contingency Plans.
All that, while maintaining the safety, psychosocial well-being, and continuity of learning of students.
“We want our schools to be places where a learner’s biggest concern is an upcoming exam, a missed assignment, or simply getting through another busy day at school, not whether they are safe inside their own classroom,” Secretary Angara said in a message read on his behalf.
“This drill is not about dwelling on frightening situations. It is about making sure that when an emergency happens, our school community knows how to respond. The purpose of a drill is not to look perfect. It is to help us become better prepared,” he added, expressing gratitude to teachers for their efforts to protect students in all emergencies.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla and DepEd officials led by Undersecretary for Governance and Operations Malcolm Garma attended the drill at Carlos F. Gonzales High School in Bulacan.
There, a simulated drill began with an emergency alert on the public address (PA) system and a call to 911 and local police, prompting teachers and students to take protective actions inside the classroom. The alarm is said to be different from an earthquake or fire drill.
Responding police officers followed strict safety protocols where their firearms were concealed. After police clearance, medical teams administered first aid while the school’s reunification procedure was implemented.
Representatives from the DILG, Philippine National Police (PNP), and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (DRRMO) then reviewed the training to identify operational deficiencies and further improve contingency plans.
To prepare schools, DepEd is implementing the new School Contingency Plan nationwide that incorporates active threat responses, such as lockout, lockdown, evacuation, and reunification into the existing disaster management framework.
Schools are also mandated to implement physical site hardening, including the designation of a single entrance for visitors, maintenance of fences and gates, regular inspection of fences, and installation of locking or barricading mechanisms in classrooms.
Meanwhile, in the event of a threat, the School Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (SDRRM) Committee will also automatically become an Incident Management Team (IMT).
School staff and students are provided with orientation and training on appropriate protective actions based on their age and situation.
This comprehensive response and reunification guidelines include strict adherence to proper procedures during police operations, dispatch of emergency assistance from various agencies, review of first aid knowledge, and the safe return of students to their families.
After the crisis, Psychological First Aid (PFA) and structured learning continuity will be implemented under the 4H (Hinto, Hinga, Hinay, Hayo) Framework of the DepEd to guide the safe recovery of students and staff.
Meanwhile, following consultations with health and mental health experts, DepEd revised the safety drill guidelines and the simulation drills have been designed to be trauma-informed and child-centered under a strict “Do No Harm” policy.
As such, realistic scenes, posing as armed aggressors, and other violent threat simulations were also strictly prohibited.
