Iloilo city: The Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) here is advocating for a comprehensive and multi-sectoral strategy to ensure campus safety, violence prevention, and mental health support in schools, following recent incidents in educational institutions nationwide. A resolution, authored by Councilor Rudolph Jeffrey Ganzon, chair of the committee on education, was unanimously passed during the council's regular session on Wednesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, the resolution calls upon the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Philippine National Police (PNP), schools, and Parents Teachers Associations to bolster coordinated safety, security, and student well-being measures across all educational institutions in Iloilo City. This initiative stems from Ganzon's privilege speech advocating for shared responsibility in strengthening campus safety.
Ganzon highlighted the recent shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban, emphasizing that no single entity should bear the blame or responsibility for addressing such issues. 'Schools are meant to be safe spaces. But the reality is that violence, distress, and behavioral crises do not begin at the school gate. They are shaped by a complex web of factors: family environment, community influences, social pressures, mental health struggles, and the broader societal climate,' he stated during his sponsorship speech.
He further stressed the pivotal role of parents, guardians, and families in nurturing emotional resilience, conflict management, empathy, and coping mechanisms, with schools providing essential support. Ganzon underscored DepEd's critical role in revising and enhancing campus security protocols, while CHED is tasked with ensuring that higher education institutions implement up-to-date, evidence-based safety standards and mental health programs, guiding colleges and universities toward robust campus security systems and student support services.
The PNP is responsible for establishing standardized, nationwide mandates for school-community coordination, rapid response mechanisms, and preventive policing tailored to the unique environment of educational institutions. Ganzon also highlighted the significant contributions of national government agencies and non-government organizations in developing mental health programs, child protection initiatives, community-based interventions, and capacity-building efforts.
'A holistic approach to campus safety must integrate physical security, mental health support, parental involvement, and community vigilance to effectively protect students and prevent similar tragedies,' he concluded.
