DepEd Sec. Sonny Angara/ Photo courtesy of Avito Dalan (PNA)
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said Tuesday the Department of Education would review campus safety measures after the deadly shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City.
Angara made the statement during his visit to Tacloban as police continued investigating the incident involving two minor students.
Authorities said the Grade 9 and Grade 10 students allegedly opened fire inside the school, killing three students and injuring 13 others.
Angara said DepEd may have to update school emergency protocols to include responses to active threats, similar to existing drills for fires and earthquakes.
He also said schools should improve their physical security, including barriers and other measures to prevent unauthorized entry, especially in crowded areas.
Angara raised concern over the possibility of copycat incidents, citing cases in other countries where widely reported acts of violence were later imitated.
Asked about accountability, Angara said the person who supplied or owned the firearm should be held responsible, stressing that children should not have access to guns.
He also cited reports of gang-related concerns after the pandemic and said schools, communities, police, and local officials must work together to provide support systems for students. Angara was also expected to visit the affected students and their families during his stay in Tacloban.