MANILA – Sen. Bam Aquino is pushing for the passage of a proposed School Safety Act following two school shooting incidents in less than two months, saying the Senate must act to prevent similar attacks and strengthen security protocols in educational institutions.

Aquino, chair of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, said the shootings in Tacloban in June and Zamboanga less than two months later showed that school violence could no longer be treated as an isolated occurrence in the Philippines.

“Well, marami sa amin nagsalita tungkol sa issue na ito. This is not the 1st school shooting in our country. This is the 2nd. Nauna iyong Tacloban, which happened in June. And then in less than a month and a half, meron tayong school shooting in Zamboanga,” Aquino said in an interview.

He said the incidents should prompt lawmakers to acknowledge the possibility of similar attacks occurring again if preventive measures are not strengthened.

Aquino said the proposed legislation initially focused on improving existing anti-bullying laws but was expanded into a broader school safety measure following the Tacloban shooting.

The bill would provide for additional security measures, including more closed-circuit television cameras, security personnel and metal detectors.

Aquino said schools could tap security guards, Philippine National Police personnel or security volunteers, including parent-teacher association members or barangay tanods in smaller schools.

The proposed measure would also establish protocols for checking students’ bags and belongings for weapons.

Aquino said the need for such measures extends beyond shootings, noting that at least five school stabbing incidents had been recorded nationwide from the beginning of the year through August.

“So kahit iyong pag-check ng mga kutsilyo at mga armas, mahalagang nangyayari iyan,” he said.

Under the proposed School Safety Act, schools would receive additional funding for security measures and would be required to localize a National School Safety Framework.

The framework would establish procedures for preventing incidents, responding while an incident is taking place and managing the aftermath.

Aquino said his visit to Tacloban after the shooting highlighted the absence of clear protocols for parents and school communities during emergencies.

One parent whose child was injured told him she had gone to three hospitals before finding her child because she did not know where the victim had been taken.

Aquino also recalled the case of a shooting victim who escaped the school after being wounded in the neck and was taken to a hospital by a motorcycle rider.

He said the experience underscored the need for schools to establish designated safety areas, evacuation procedures and clearly defined responsibilities for personnel during an attack.

“So the protocols, the framework, kailangan nandiyan. Saan ka pupunta? Ano iyong safety area? Sino iyong mga personnel? Sino iyong mga tao na dapat palayo tumakbo? Sino iyong mga personnel dapat palapit tumakbo doon sa nangyayari? So all of these, nasa laman iyan ng School Safety Act. And I think it’s important na mapasa natin ito in the soonest possible time,” Aquino said.

Funding remains a concern

Aquino acknowledged that implementing the proposed security measures would require additional funding at a time when the Department of Education’s proposed 2027 budget is lower than the previous allocation.

He argued, however, that funding ultimately depends on the government’s priorities.

“It’s a matter of political will. Kung, kung nais natin mapondohan ‘to, mapopondohan natin ‘to. I think ganun iyong kasimple. Because again and I think we discussed this also last year, ‘no? Iyong budget equals priority. Kung priority mo iyan, mapopondohan mo iyan. Kung ‘di mo iyan priority, hindi mo iyan mapopondohan. So iyong sinasabi, “Oh, walang pera para dito, walang pera para diyan,” ibig sabihin, ayaw pondohan. Mas, mas nais iba ang popondohan.”

He said education funding should remain a priority, noting that both Senate majority and minority members have agreed on the need for substantial resources for the sector.

Aquino also cited the constitutional provision identifying education as a priority in government spending.

He said Senate President Francis Escudero had expressed support for restoring or increasing the education budget after Aquino delivered his speech on the issue.

Aquino said the education budget reached 4% of gross domestic product (GDP) last year, which he described as the prescribed level, but the Department of Budget and Management’s current proposal puts education spending at about 3.5% of GDP.

“Iyan iyong prescribed ha. Hindi pa ‘yan gold medal. Okay, ano lang iyan, pasado lang iyan. Na 4% of GDP iyong pondo para sa edukasyon. We hit 4% last year. Right now, iyong nilabas ng DBM, nasa 3.5%. So kulang pa iyan.”

He said he remained hopeful that the education allocation would return to at least 4% of GDP before the 2027 national budget is finalized in December.

Aquino stressed that the additional funding would not be limited to school security, citing other education needs such as classrooms, feeding programs and the ARAL catch-up program.

“But I think after it passes Congress, after it passes the Senate, aabot ulit iyan ng 4%. Hindi lang itong school safety. Kasi obviously, mahal ang CCTV, security guard, security personnel. That costs money. But we’re also talking about classrooms, the feeding program, iyong ARAL program na pumopondo sa catch-up program ng DepEd. Napakaraming kailangan pondohan pa. But again, this is about a 4, 5-month process, ‘no? The budget will be finished in December. I’m really hopeful na by that time, makikita natin iyong pagdagdag sa pondo ng edukasyon.”