THE Cebu Provincial Government has established a hotline to address bullying complaints involving children and students in the province.
Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro announced that she has instructed the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) and the Provincial Youth Development Office (PYDO) to designate focal persons who will manage the anti-bullying hotline.
Schools will also be asked to post their own emergency hotline numbers to give easy access to students and teachers during emergencies.
The initiative will be carried out in coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) under the Cebu Provincial School Board.
"What kind of future will we have if we don't take care of our children now?" Baricuatro said.
During an emergency meeting convened by Baricuatro with the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC), officials also approved a recommendation to implement awareness and intervention programs by the Department of Education (DepEd) for teachers, students, and parents.
The programs will focus on crime prevention, school safety protocols, anti-bullying campaigns, gangsterism, extremism, and radicalization.
During the meeting, Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) Director Police Colonel Abubakar Mangelen Jr. reported that security measures have already been put in place in schools across the province.
According to police records, a total of 2,516 security personnel have been deployed to schools throughout the province.
Barangay Peacekeeping Action Teams and other local personnel have also been mobilized to help ensure the safety and security of children.
The move comes after the June 22 school shooting in Tacloban City involving two minors, which left three students dead and 20 others injured. (ANV)
