It is one of the measures being eyed to help in addressing the growing cases of in-campus violence nationwide.
As the National School Safety Week continues, Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla signed a Joint Memorandum Circular on Wednesday, October 14.
In the said order, the deployment of barangay tanods (village watchmen) to schools has been mandated to address campus security concerns and strengthen school protection, while DepEd also continues to hire professional security personnel.
“These past few months have been challenging for us, especially for our teachers and learners. Pero responsibilidad nating ipadama sa kanila na ang ating mga paaralan ay mananatiling ligtas na kanlungan,” Angara said.
“We see this partnership as a decisive step toward safer schools,” he emphasized, adding that the presence of more personnel provides the sense of security.
For his part, Remulla said: “Hindi ko po pinapangako ang perpektong programa, pero ang pinapangako ko na magkakasama kaming lahat para maibsan ang problemang ito.”
“Iba na ang mentalidad ng mga magulang, iba na rin ang mentalidad ng mga bata. Pumasok na po sa internet ang child grooming na tinuturuan ang ating kabataan para dalhin sa mga kadiliman na social sites. Doon natututo ang bata na mag-iba ang isip, mag-iba ang larangan, mag-iba ang kanilang adhikain,” he added.
Under the agreement, schools are able to coordinate with their respective barangay government units to request the deployment of tanods to help maintain order and security around the campus as community partners.
These watchmen will serve as partners but will not replace school authorities or the national police.
There will also be orientations to ensure their actions align with policies on child protection, students’ rights, and school safety.
Angara and Remulla also observed a school safety drill at Bangkal High School in Makati City aimed at strengthening emergency response.
During the drill, students and staff practiced evacuation procedures, lockdown protocols, and emergency communication methods, with the said activity avoiding scenarios that were overly frightening or excessively realistic in compliance with child protection guidelines.
It follows the National Simultaneous School Safety Drill last September 3, where DepEd also started mandating the nationwide implementation of age-appropriate and trauma-informed school safety drills.
Starting November 2026, safety drills will alsoc be conducted monthly in all public schools, focusing on various types of threats based on localized risk assessments.
School administrators and other stakeholders are told to coordinate on scheduling to safeguard instructional time while ensuring the effectiveness of the training.
Meanwhile, under the updated DepEd guidelines on safety drills, schools are required to implement a process of continuous improvement that includes hazard assessment, drills based on selected emergency scenarios, evaluation of gaps, and the implementation of corrective measures for future drills.
Other security measures include the DepEd strengthening values education and fostering engagement with parents to ensure the overall well-being of students.
During the visit, Angara and Remulla also observed a Grade 8 class discussing “Positive Disposition,” a lesson focused on helping students develop a positive mindset, resilience, and responsible decision-making skills when facing social issues and personal challenges.
An orientation was also conducted for the Kaagapay Program, which trains parents and guardians to identify internet risks, cyberbullying, and warning signs of emotional distress in students.
