Safer schools for our students

The incidents of violence and school shootings in recent months, including those in Tacloban City, Zamboanga City and Banga, South Cotabato, have underscored the urgent need for stronger measures to protect our students, school authorities, teachers and the surrounding communities, in general. These incidents have also prompted us to push for the immediate passage and implementation of measures that will strengthen school security and improve prevention efforts.

With this, we welcome the Senate’s approval on 21 September, on third and final reading, of Senate Bill 2426, or the proposed Comprehensive School Safety Act. The measure seeks to institutionalize a nationwide framework to strengthen the safety and well-being of learners and school personnel.

As one of the measure’s authors and co-sponsors, we supported its passage as the Senate also moved to establish stronger, more coordinated safeguards against violence, emergencies and other threats in schools.

Furthermore, as chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth, it saddens me to see our students living in fear. That is why my priority is to protect the welfare of every young Filipino and support their development, while helping ensure they receive the proper guidance and opportunities to choose a better path in life.

I envision that every child has the opportunity to reach their dreams. One way to help them achieve that is by ensuring that they receive a proper education in a safe environment, free from conflict and harm, one where students and their parents can feel secure.

Hence, SBN 2426 seeks to promote safer and more supportive school communities by establishing clear systems for the prevention of, response to and recovery from incidents affecting students, teachers and other school personnel.

If enacted, the measure will mandate the Department of Education, in coordination with the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development and other key national government agencies, to establish, maintain and periodically update a National Comprehensive School Safety Framework to guide the implementation of the law in schools nationwide.

Every school will also be required to establish a comprehensive school safety governance structure and develop safety measures responsive to the specific risks and needs of its community.

Also, we understand that we currently have a shortage of mental health professionals. That is why we urge the government to immediately implement the hiring of school counselor associates, which was funded in the 2026 budget and stipulated in this measure.

Furthermore, as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, we also emphasized sports as an avenue for supporting young Filipinos. We have the National Academy of Sports in New Clark City, Tarlac, where student-athletes can pursue their studies while receiving specialized training.

We also filed SBN 171, or the proposed National Academy of Sports Regional Expansion Act, to bring similar opportunities to young athletes elsewhere in the country.

Instead, our youth are focused mostly on social media. What we want is for them to be hooked on sports. Sports can teach discipline, teamwork, patience, respect and the ability to recover from defeat. It can also give young people a productive direction and an opportunity to discover talents they never knew they had.

As my battle cry goes: Get into sports. Stay away from drugs to keep us healthy and fit.

On 24 September, amid the pouring rain, we personally went to Caloocan City to aid 75 victims in Barangay 23 in coordination with barangay captain Rodolfo Bustamante. There, we also supported local vendors, where we emphasized the need to support our own.

After which, we also headed to Parañaque City to also assist 132 families affected by a recent fire incident in coordination with Vitalez Barangay Captain Alex Alvarez.

Meanwhile, the previous week, our Malasakit Team also extended their efforts in bringing government service closer to the people as they immediately aided fire victims in Valenzuela City, Malabon City, Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur and Talisay City, Cebu.

Together with my fellow lawmakers and as your Mr. Malasakit, I will make sure that the government provides our children the better and safer life they deserve, and I will continue to serve with the best of my ability dahil bisyo ko ang magserbisyo at naniniwala ako na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo din sa Diyos.