Tacloban: An initiative earlier implemented by the Police Regional Office in Caraga Region (PRO-13) is seen to help ensure the safety of students and teachers in schools, as the agency strengthens Project "Bantay Eskwela" following the deadly school shooting in Tacloban City on Monday.

According to Philippines News Agency, PRO-13 chief, Brig. Gen. Marcial Mariano Magistrado IV, ordered the strengthening of the program after the incident that claimed three lives, said PRO-13 information chief Lt. Col. Jennifer Ometer in an interview on Wednesday.

"This program was already in place before the incident in Tacloban; it was implemented during the opening of this year's school year," Ometer said. Police personnel have been regularly assigned outside school premises since the opening of classes, she added.

"After the Tacloban incident, PRO-13 is coordinating with local government units to augment our security personnel in schools," Ometer said. The formal opening of schools in the Caraga Region in the first week of June was peaceful and orderly, she added.

Magistrado said Project "Bantay Eskwela" aims to carry out an "honest, aggressive, sustained, and holistic anti-crime strategy" to prevent criminal incidents in and around educational institutions by enhancing police visibility. "As part of the program, intensified police presence is maintained within and around school premises to deter criminal activities and ensure the safety of students and school personnel," Magistrado said.

He added that police stations, in collaboration with LGUs, strictly enforce curfew ordinances to prevent unlawful assemblies, gang-related activities, and disturbances involving students and out-of-school youth.