By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Amid a surge in cases of students getting involved in acts of violence, Malacañang said that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is on the case and has directed concerned government agencies to address this worrying phenomenon.
In a briefing on Tuesday, PCO Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro shared that these agencies are in close coordination with schools to improve security measures and early detection of behavioral warning signs among students.
She expounded on the context behind the pressing issue, “Kamakailan lang din po ay nakita itong nihilistic extremists. May mga groomers—hindi naman nagmumula sa bansa natin—na nakikita nila because maraming mga bata na naglalaro, at nakikita nitong mga groomers na ito kung sino iyong mga batang may tendency maging bayolente.”
Usec. Castro noted that the President wants teachers and other school personnel to receive appropriate training from psychologists and psychiatrists to help them recognize early warning signs of behavioral problems among students.
President Marcos Jr. also directed closer coordination among teachers, parents, barangay officials, and social workers to strengthen efforts to prevent school violence.
The directive came following reports of separate incidents involving minors, including a 12-year-old student who was allegedly found carrying a firearm near an elementary school in Misamis Oriental on October 22 and a 13-year-old student who allegedly stabbed an 11-year-old schoolmate in Davao City on October 24.
Sitting at the helm of the campaign against youth violence on campuses is the Department of Education (DepEd), which has proposed a P500 million allocation under the 2027 national budget to enhance campus security and safety measures.
As of press time, 45,994 learner formation officers are assigned to schools nationwide, with 36,713 schools having designated personnel responsible for values formation, discipline management, learner engagement, and early intervention for students experiencing social, emotional, or behavioral difficulties.
For its part, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has accelerated efforts to raise awareness among parents and teachers about recognizing potential warning signs of distress among children, as well as equipping social workers with the capability to respond to these challenges accordingly.
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