Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro ordered immediate preventive security measures across 223 public and 55 private schools in the province following a recent security incident in Zamboanga City.

Baricuatro highlighted student and staff safety as a primary focus for provincial leadership. She pledged to collaborate with police forces, school authorities, and local communities to maintain schools as safe learning environments.

In response to the governor’s directive, Cebu Police Provincial Office director Police Col. Abubakar Udang Mangelen Jr. instructed local police chiefs to lead direct deployments at school sites across the province.

Mangelen stressed that officers should maintain a visible, approachable presence to build trust among students, teachers and parents while tailoring deployment levels to local community needs.

Police operations currently cover 14 schools in Danao City, marking the highest count in the province, followed by Talisay City and Santander with 13 schools each.

The heightened security protocol also extends to major higher education institutions, including campuses of Cebu Technological University, Cebu Normal University and the University of the Visayas.