Stronger family support, accessible mental health services and early intervention for adolescents should complement tighter school security measures to prevent violence, the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) said Wednesday.
The CPD issued the call following Tuesday’s fatal shooting at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University high school campus in Zamboanga City, the country’s second reported fatal school shooting since the June 22 incident at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City.
The commission said accountability remains necessary after an attack, but authorities should also focus on identifying and addressing warning signs before they escalate into violence.
“School violence is not solely a law enforcement or school discipline concern. It is also a family, developmental, mental health, and community issue that demands a whole-of-society response,” the CPD said.
The commission identified families as the first line of prevention, urging parents to maintain open communication with their children, recognize changes in behavior and help them manage emotions and conflicts constructively.
It noted that adolescents undergo significant emotional, psychological and social changes while becoming increasingly influenced by peers, digital platforms and their surroundings.
The CPD said investments in adolescent health and development should help young people build emotional resilience, make sound decisions, develop healthy relationships and feel comfortable seeking help when they encounter difficulties.
It also called for stronger school-based child protection programs, guidance and counseling services, psychosocial support, anti-bullying initiatives and referral systems that can identify learners experiencing emotional distress or behavioral risks before these escalate.
The commission also urged parents to become more involved in their children’s digital lives.
Rather than simply monitoring online activity, parents should discuss responsible social media use, cyberbullying, respectful online behavior and the content their children consume, it said.
Following the Zamboanga shooting, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. directed law enforcement agencies to investigate the incident and determine additional measures to improve school safety.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) had also begun reviewing school security protocols following the June shooting in Tacloban City, including police-school coordination and monitoring of campus entry and exit points.
The CPD, however, said school safety should extend beyond physical security measures and involve families, local governments, health providers, civil society organizations and communities.
“Every adolescent deserves more than protection from violence – they deserve families that communicate, schools that care, communities that listen, and institutions that act before warning signs become irreversible loss,” the commission said.
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