Nearly a week after the deadly shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, one victim remains in critical condition as the Department of Education shifts its focus from emergency response to long-term recovery.

Education Undersecretary Malcolm Garma said Sunday that while most of those wounded in the 22 June attack have stabilized and several have already been discharged, one victim remains confined in the intensive care unit.

“The priority of the Department of Education (DepEd) is to ensure that those who were injured receive the medical attention and treatment they need,” Garma said in a radio interview.

The attack left 23 casualties. Three students were killed, 15 others sustained gunshot wounds, while five others suffered injuries related to the incident. Two victims were initially admitted to the ICU, but Garma said only one remains in critical condition.

As recovery efforts continue, DepEd has deployed psychosocial intervention teams to assist survivors and their families in coordination with the Department of Health, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the University of the Philippines Tacloban College and several non-government organizations.

“We cannot focus only on physical recovery,” Garma said, stressing that emotional healing would be equally important in the weeks and months ahead.

The department is also accelerating plans to strengthen campus security by deploying security guards, installing closed-circuit television cameras and providing handheld metal detectors in public schools.

Garma acknowledged that limited resources make it impossible to immediately equip every public school with the same level of security.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara has ordered an inventory of schools with existing security measures to help identify campuses that should be prioritized for additional support.

The Tacloban tragedy has also prompted renewed calls for greater police presence in schools.

Abra Lone District Rep. JB Bernos urged Abra Police Provincial Director Col. Charles Domalig to expand police visibility and security measures in educational institutions, saying students, teachers and school personnel deserve to feel safe on campus.

Bernos also called for closer coordination between police and school administrators to prevent similar incidents.

Although no comparable threats have been reported in Abra, the lawmaker said preventive measures remain essential.

He likewise backed House resolutions seeking a congressional inquiry into the Tacloban shooting to identify possible gaps in existing laws.

“Amid calls to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility, issues of loose firearms and the state of security in our schools, I believe an inquiry is needed so we can get a fuller picture of the situation and be armed with more information to guide legislative action,” Bernos said.

The shooting has also prompted the government to review school security protocols and the country’s juvenile justice policies as authorities continue investigating the circumstances surrounding one of the deadliest school shootings in recent Philippine history.