The Department of Education (DepEd) in Cebu City is recommending the deployment of Barangay Tanods as school crossing personnel instead of hiring new job order workers to improve safety for students in public schools.
The Schools Division Office said existing barangay personnel can immediately assist learners crossing busy roads during peak school hours through stronger coordination between barangays and the city’s traffic management office.
In a letter submitted to the Cebu City Council, DepEd Cebu City proposed an institutional partnership between the Cebu City Traffic Management Office (TMO) and the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) to deploy Barangay Tanods in all public elementary schools.
The recommendation, signed by Schools Division Superintendent Nimfa Bongo, said the arrangement would maximize existing government resources while providing immediate safety personnel in school zones without creating additional job order positions.
“We deeply appreciate and share the Sanggunian’s noble intent to secure the safety and welfare of schoolchildren crossing busy thoroughfares during peak hours,” Bongo said in the letter.
“However, we respectfully submit our comment focused on maximizing efficiency and utilizing existing government resources,” she added.
DepEd Cebu City based its recommendation on Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular No. 2025-072, which directs barangays to deploy Barangay Tanods to public schools to assist learners and school personnel during arrival and dismissal periods.
Under the memorandum, tanods are also tasked to conduct regular patrols around school entrances and nearby public spaces to help maintain safety.
Although the directive was initially intended for implementation beginning School Year 2025-2026, DepEd said it remains effective and continues to apply in succeeding school years.
The Schools Division Office said using Barangay Tanods would allow the city to immediately establish school safety measures by utilizing an existing community-based security network.
DepEd noted that Barangay Tanods already have familiarity with local traffic conditions and school surroundings, while their recognized authority within communities may help encourage motorists to follow traffic rules.
The agency also cited that the DILG memorandum calls on city mayors to provide support to barangays to sustain school-zone safety initiatives.
Instead of creating new positions, DepEd recommended that the City Council facilitate coordination between the TMO and ABC to ensure the organized deployment of Barangay Tanods in public elementary schools.
“This collaborative approach ensures that our student pedestrians are immediately provided with institutional, trained safety officers on the streets without the administrative delays of new personnel procurement,” the letter stated.
The recommendation was submitted in response to Resolution No. 17-3064-2026, which the Cebu City Council forwarded after its regular session on March 24, 2026.
The resolution proposed the hiring of job order personnel who would serve as crossing guards in public elementary schools to improve student safety along busy roads during school hours.
While supporting the objective of the resolution, DepEd Cebu City said the city could achieve the same goal more efficiently by strengthening coordination with barangays and implementing the existing DILG directive on Barangay Tanod deployment.
The agency said the proposed partnership would allow trained personnel to be assigned to school zones faster while avoiding the administrative processes required for hiring new workers.
Photo courtesy of Waivio
Comments