DepEd will launch active shooter drills on July 10 following a Tacloban City school shooting where two Grade 9 students killed three students and wounded 20 others.
Secretary Sonny Angara advised schools to coordinate with PNP SWAT teams for bomb threat inspections and conduct security assessments before considering any class suspensions.
Talisay City will distribute 100 metal detectors to public schools by July 20 after online threats from a Facebook user caused two schools to temporarily suspend classes.
THE Department of Education (DepEd) will strengthen school safety measures by introducing active shooter drills in schools, Secretary Sonny Angara said Wednesday, July 8, 2026.
Angara said the active shooter drills, which will show students and teachers how to respond if an armed attack occurs on campus, will be launched Friday, July 10.
The move follows a shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City that killed three students and wounded 20 others. The two suspects were Grade 9 students at the school.
First school shooting
“We are making adjustments because this is the first school shooting of its kind. That means the shooter was a student,” Angara said in Tagalog.
“We are already conducting active shooter drills. These are meant to teach what should be done if a school shooting occurs. On Friday, we will launch a program demonstrating the proper procedures. If a shooting occurs at a school, everyone will have a protocol to follow automatically,” he added in Tagalog.
Aside from preparing schools for active shooter situations, the education chief said DepEd will seek assistance from the Philippine National Police (PNP) to respond to the increasing number of bomb threats received by schools.
Angara said schools should coordinate with police, particularly the PNP’s Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) teams, to inspect campuses when threats are reported.
“Yung mga sanay sa bomb threat, ang ginagawa nila, tinatawag nila ang Swat team ng PNP. Papasok ang Swat team tapos kung cleared ng Swat team, pwede nang pumasok ulit,” he said.
(In cases involving bomb threats, the usual procedure is to call the Philippine National Police’s Swat team. The Swat team conducts a clearing operation, and once they declare the area safe, people are allowed to return.)
Despite the rise in bomb threats, Angara said schools should not automatically suspend classes. Instead, authorities must first conduct a thorough assessment and security sweep to determine if a threat is credible.
Talisay security measures
In Talisay City, the local government plans to distribute 100 metal detectors to public schools on or before July 20, following recent campus threats.
Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas Jr. said in a Facebook post Tuesday, July 7, that the measure aims to tighten security inspections to keep school children safe.
“They deserve classrooms where they can focus on their lessons instead of their fears, hallways where they build friendships instead of anxiety and schools where they know that every adult around them is looking out for them,” his post said.
In coordination with the PNP, security guards will undergo training on operating metal detectors, executing proper frisking procedures and reporting incidents. Authorities will also implement orientations and strengthen anti-bullying measures to ensure a prompt response to every reported case.
“If you are hurting, if you are afraid, if someone is making school a place of fear instead of learning, there will always be adults who will listen, believe you and stand beside you,” Gullas said, emphasizing that student welfare extends beyond administrative policies.
Ongoing investigations
Investigations continue into the source of the online threats made against Talisay City Elementary School and Talisay City National High School (TCNHS) on Sunday, July 5.
The two schools suspended classes Monday, July 6, after a Facebook user named “Zane Bacalso” threatened to bring firearms to the campuses, claiming a younger sibling was being bullied.
A SunStar Cebu report on Monday stated that authorities have identified leads and are gathering evidence. Once the suspect is identified, the schools intend to pursue legal action for emotional damages and class disruptions.
Mayor Gullas had not responded to messages and calls from SunStar Cebu as of press time Wednesday, regarding whether the source of the threat had been traced.
The two campuses resumed classes Tuesday upon the recommendation of the Talisay City police chief, according to De Dicto, the official student publication of TCNHS. / TPM & GABRIEL SOLAMO, UP CEBU INTERN