THE DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) in Davao City started a security lockdown in public schools beginning Tuesday, June 23, following a series of violent attacks against students, including the deadly Tacloban City mass shooting that claimed the lives of three.
Reynante Solitario, Davao City Schools Division superintendent, told TIMES that additional police visibility has been requested to safeguard school campuses.
“The CSU head, operations officer, and the 26 district supervisors have agreed that the Child Safety Unit shall coordinate with the Philippine National Police,” Solitario said.
Solitario added the increased police visibility in the vicinity of both public and private schools to help ensure the safety and security of learners, personnel, and other stakeholders.
Among the measures being strictly enforced is the “No ID, No Entry” policy, which applies to all students, staff, and visitors.
Also, bag inspections are being conducted at school gates, while proper registration and complete entry of information in logbooks are required for all guests and individuals seeking access to school premises.
The move is anchored on recent directives issued by the agency and the PNP calling for the strict enforcement of security protocols in school campuses, following the shooting incident in San Jose National High School in Tacloban, Leyte.
Schools also maintain active coordination with concerned agencies and the community to uphold order and security within educational institutions.
“Sa pamamagitan ng mga hakbang na ito, ipinakikita ng DepEd Davao City ang patuloy nitong pangako na tiyakin ang isang ligtas, maayos, at protektadong kapaligiran sa pagkatuto para sa bawat Dabawenyong mag-aaral,” DepEd Davao City said in a statement.
The Tacloban City Information Office reported that the death toll from the shooting incident at San Jose National High School remains at three as of 8 a.m. on June 23.
Meanwhile, the number of wounded climbed to 20.
The figures were presented by the Philippine National Police (PNP) as part of its Security Assessment and Investigation Report during the ongoing inter-agency meeting conducted on Tuesday morning at the school campus.
