The opening of classes for school year 2026-2027 was "generally smooth and orderly," as millions of students across the country returned to school on Monday, 8 June, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).

DepEd said around 26 million students are enrolled for this school year, which is about the same as last year's figure.

The Southern Police District (SPD) fully deployed police personnel across schools in the district for the opening of classes as part of the security measures.

A total of 308 schools (177 public and 130 private) within its jurisdiction were secured through the deployment of personnel assigned in designated school areas, ensuring the safety of students, parents, and school personnel. Police visibility was intensified in and around school premises, particularly during peak arrival and dismissal hours.

To support school security operations, 2,245 personnel were deployed across the District, including those assigned to police assistance desks, mobile patrols, foot patrols, force multipliers, and other operational units. This extensive deployment ensured a strong police presence in all school zones.

In addition, 1,661 personnel were deployed to strategic convergence points such as major thoroughfares, transport hubs and terminals, commercial areas, places of worship, and other identified public gathering areas to assist in traffic management and maintain public safety during the opening of classes.

Overall, the SPD mobilized 3,906 personnel district-wide, demonstrating its commitment to providing a safe, orderly, and secure environment for students, parents, teachers, and the general public.

Police personnel were strategically positioned across Makati, Taguig, Pateros, Pasay, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, and Parañaque, ensuring coordinated security coverage in close coordination with local government units and school administrations.

Meanwhile, teachers from Metro Manila and CALABARZON gathered in Mendiola on Monday afternoon to press for the immediate enactment of the proposed P15,000 across-the-board salary increase for public school teachers and DepEd employees as classes formally opened for school uear 2026–2027.

The mobilization, organized by the Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC), highlighted the growing frustration among teachers over what they described as the Marcos administration's continued failure to act on the long-pending salary increase proposal.

TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas said the government has remained silent on teachers' calls for better compensation while allowing various policy experiments in the education sector that continue to add to the workload and responsibilities of already overburdened teachers. NEIL ALCOBER