With the department having “unequivocally” condemned the violent act.
On Saturday, September 19, Secretary Sonny Angara of the Department of Education visited Banga National High School in Banga, South Cotabato, where a tragic shooting incident occurred the day prior and killed three and injured six others.
But first, in a statement, the department said: “Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and the entire school community during this devastating time. We are outraged by this breach of campus safety and are taking all necessary steps to support those affected and ensure accountability.“
Aside from officials being on-site to assist the victims and coordinate closely coordinate local authorities, they also joined and law enforcement to investigate the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
“Immediate intervention teams are currently deployed to provide comprehensive psychological first aid and mental health support to affected learners, families, and school staff,” it said.
They also called on the public to exercise utmost responsibility and avoid spreading unverified claims or graphic media that only compound the trauma of those affected.
Meanwhile, in his personal visit to the school, Angara met with school staff, parents, and local government and police officials to coordinate emergency responses, deploy critical psychosocial services, and address security concerns.
He also inspected the school, attended a security briefing and a debriefing session for teachers and staff, visited the wake of the victims, and offered words of encouragement to the injured in the hospital.
Angara emphasized the need for immediate care, community engagement, and proactive mental health interventions to prevent similar incidents.
“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,” he said.
Angara further noted that the Department of Education (DepEd) focuses on student learning and schools are not equipped for this type of violence; thus, the assistance of the local government and the community is crucial.
“‘Yung security measures, kailangan talagang paigtingin dahil hindi talaga kami handa sa mga ganitong shootings. Naka-concentrate tayo sa academic performance ng mga bata,” he stressed. “Kailangang magsama-sama ang lahat ng komunidad dito, kabilang ang local government para sa pagpondo ng security guards.”
The DepEd also requested additional support from barangay officials and tanod (watchmen) to augment police patrols, particularly for schools that do not have their own security guards.
Angara also prioritized early mental health support, noting that issues concerning student behavior require a whole-of-community intervention.
“Pati ang mental health ng ating mga kabataan ay apektado na rin. Paigtingin natin ang ating interventions dahil minsan hindi ito halata. Minsan sinasabi ng mga guro na magaling at walang problema ang bata, pero mayroon palang mga problema. Kaya hiring tayo ng School Counselor Associates para makatulong nang malaki,” Angara explained.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara proposed the creation of a Joint School Safety Task Force—in collaboration with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP)—to conduct site-specific security audits of public schools nationwide.
This move is a direct response to the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. following the shooting incident at Banga National High School, which marked the third such incident within a school in the past three months.
President Marcos instructed the DepEd, DILG, and PNP to submit an assessment report recommending concrete policies to prevent violence on school campuses.
“Hindi natin maaaring tanggapin na maging bahagi na lamang ng buhay ng ating mga anak ang mga pamamaril sa paaralan. Karapatan ng ating mga anak na makapag-aral nang walang takot. Karapatan ng mga magulang na maipadala sila sa paaralan nang alam na uuwi silang ligtas. Ito ang pananagutan natin sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino,” said Marcos.
This new operational framework, Angara noted, is not intended to create another permanent bureaucracy. Instead, it will bring the agencies together to assess specific risks, identify gaps, and recommend concrete interventions.
“Since the circumstances and vulnerabilities of schools may differ from one area to another, we need to assess risks on the ground and identify interventions appropriate to each school and community,” Angara added.
The said proposed joint task force will examine critical aspects of campus security, including school entry controls, threat reporting, emergency response, and coordination with local police.
The data gathered will then serve as the basis for concrete actions at the school, division, local, regional, and national government levels.
Alongside security assessments, DepEd is coordinating with the PNP to determine the full chain of events—specifically how the firearm was obtained and brought into the school—in order to address safety lapses.
DepEd stated that it would allow the official investigation to establish the facts and would implement appropriate measures should administrative liability be found under its own regulations, while simultaneously coordinating with authorities regarding violations of firearm laws.
“Taos-puso akong nakikiramay sa mga pamilyang nawalan ng mahal sa buhay. Walang magulang ang dapat makaranas ng ganitong sakit, at walang bata ang dapat matakot na pumasok sa paaralan,” Angara expressed. “Nakikiramay din kami sa buong Banga National High School community. Ang aming pangunahing priyoridad ay ang suportahan ang mga apektadong mag-aaral, pamilya, at kawani ng paaralan, kabilang ang pagbibigay ng kinakailangang tulong-medikal at psychosocial.”
