The Cebu Provincial Board is pushing for a province-wide school safety strategy as firearm incidents, shooting scares and threats involving schools and minors continue to raise security concerns.
Board Member Malcolm Sanchez called for stronger coordination among schools, law enforcement agencies, local governments and other government offices to prevent similar incidents and keep schools safe for students and personnel.
During the board’s regular session on Aug. 24, Sanchez, chairperson of the committee on information and communications technology, proposed adopting a “See Something, Say Something” campaign to encourage students, teachers, parents and other members of the community to report suspicious behavior and credible threats.
Sanchez said the campaign should go beyond encouraging people to report incidents. He said the government must establish clear and reliable channels where reports can be received, assessed and acted upon.
“For this campaign to work, the government must provide somewhere safe and reliable for our people to say something,” Sanchez said.
He said students should know whom to approach, teachers should understand the proper procedures and parents should know where to seek assistance when they encounter potential threats.
Sanchez cited several recent incidents in Cebu, including the discovery of a .357 revolver in the bag of a 14-year-old student at Lut-od National High School in Pinamungajan.
The board also discussed shooting scares at Cebu Eastern College, online threats that disrupted classes in Consolacion and Talisay, and a shooting threat at Inayawan National High School allegedly traced to a 13-year-old former student.
Sanchez said the incidents showed that school security should not depend solely on guards, gate inspections and bag checks.
“At the same time, our response cannot consist merely of guards at gates and inspections of bags,” he said.
He also called for responsible firearm storage, particularly in households where children are present, noting that some recent cases involved weapons reportedly obtained from adults.
To improve coordination, the Provincial Board approved Resolution No. 67, authored by Sanchez, inviting regional and provincial agencies to discuss existing and proposed school security measures.
The invited agencies include the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) 7, Department of Education (DepEd) 7, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) 7, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Central Visayas, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), Visayas Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO).
The initiative follows Governor Pamela Baricuatro’s earlier directive to heighten security in public and private schools across Cebu following the shooting incident in Zamboanga that left two people dead.
Baricuatro instructed Cebu police officials and station commanders to increase police visibility around schools, conduct regular security inspections and strengthen coordination with school authorities.
“The safety and security of our students, teachers, and school personnel remain among our foremost priorities. We must remain vigilant and united in protecting our children,” Baricuatro said.
Photo courtesy of Beyond Legislation / FB
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