Following recent incidents that happened in different parts of the country.
On Tuesday, October 27, Malacañan Palace said that President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has ordered the improvement of measures to detect early the behavioral warning signs among students.
This move, they said, is to prevent incidents of violence and ensure the safety in schools nationwide.
“Ang utos ng Pangulo, unang-una po, kailangan ang mga teachers, ang mga teaching personnel, sila po ay mabigyan ng kaalaman through a psychologist, psychiatrist para malaman kung ang isang bata ba ay may senyales na,” said Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro.
This new directive came after reports of separate incidents involving minors in Mindanao, which include a 12-year-old student allegedly carrying a firearm near an elementary school in Misamis Oriental and 13-year-old student who allegedly stabbed an 11-year-old schoolmate in Davao City.
The Palace official said the President wants teachers and other school personnel to receive appropriate training from psychologists and psychiatrists to help them recognize early warning signs of behavioral problems among students.
Marcos has also directed closer coordination among teachers, parents, barangay officials, and social workers to strengthen efforts to prevent school violence.
Meanwhile, barangay officials and barangay tanods should also be mobilized to strengthen security around schools, particularly through increased visibility and monitoring in surrounding areas.
According to Castro, the Department of Education (DepEd) has proposed a P500-million allocation under the 2027 national budget for school security and safety measures.
Alongside that, 45,994 learner formation officers are assigned to schools nationwide, with 36,713 schools having designated personnel responsible for values formation, discipline management, learner engagement, and early intervention for students experiencing social, emotional, or behavioral difficulties.
For its part, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is also stepping up efforts to educate parents and teachers on identifying behavioral changes and signs of emotional distress among children through its social workers.
Last October 12 to 16, the National School Safety Week was also observed in all public schools and Community Learning Centers nationwide, featuring integrated safety lessons, awareness of emergency hotlines, and support frameworks.
The new position of School Counselor Associate 1, which wad established under Republic Act No. 12080, or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act, aims to address the shortage of guidance professionals in the country, while strengthening psychosocial support systems in public schools.
Under the supervision of School Counselors, SCAs will assist in the profiling of students, initial assessment, psychosocial support, career guidance, and referral processes for students, families, and school staff.
There are 10,000 authorized SCA positions that have been assigned nationwide.
