Protecting children and securing their school environments

When children and teenagers become targets of physical and online bullying, victims of tragedies, or what some describe as collateral damage, accepting these incidents as part of everyday life is brutal. It is a reality we cannot simply sit back and ignore. There must be an end to this cruelty and madness. The younger generation deserves a happy, safe and secure environment, as well as a society that genuinely cares for their well-being.

Hope

That is why, when this Daily Tribune columnist was invited to attend the Addressing School-Based Violence: A Multisectoral Forum on Nihilistic Violent Extremism (NVE), I saw reason to be hopeful. Concerned individuals and organizations are coming together to plan, coordinate and implement ways to address the threats and violence that young people face today.

Held on 6 November, at the Dizon Auditorium of the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) in Ortigas, Pasig City, the forum was organized by JuanHand in partnership with UA&P.

It brought together government officials, law enforcement representatives, educators, child protection advocates and other stakeholders, with JuanHand president and CEO Francisco Roberto “Coco” Mauricio among those leading the initiative.

Mauricio said: “This forum was initiated out of a shared responsibility to protect children from emerging threats and keep them safe. Schools should be places where young people can learn and develop with confidence.”

“Protecting that environment requires the involvement of families, educators, government, law enforcement, and the private sector,” he added.

One of the forum’s special speakers was Brian Borysewich, principal security architect and dark web and intelligence strategist. He provided an overview of Nihilistic Violent Extremism (NVE), describing it as an emerging form of online-driven violence that promotes chaos and destruction.

“This is an emerging online-driven form of violence that promotes chaos and destruction. This targets children aged 7 to 15 by manipulating their mindsets and behavior and recruiting them to commit violent acts, including those that may occur in school settings,” he said.

The presence of Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Department of Education Secretary Sonny M. Angara underscored the importance of government involvement in strengthening protective measures for young people.

“Parents and adults must establish daily and open communication lines with their children to monitor their online activities to help prevent radicalization,” Remulla said.

Angara, meanwhile, highlighted the need to make schools safer and strengthen relationships within communities.

“It is absolutely necessary that we secure our schools, and we need to build stronger communities. We need to build better relationships with our learners,” Angara added.

Real deal

Two panel discussions tackled different aspects of school-based violence during the forum.

The first, titled “Online Threats, Offline Consequences: Investigating and Prosecuting School-Based Violence,” examined the legal and investigative frameworks needed to address how activities in digital spaces can lead to real-world violence on school campuses.

The second, “Recognizing the Signs: Early Intervention Against School-Based Violence,” focused on equipping parents, teachers and school personnel with the knowledge to identify behavioral warning signs and signs of psychological distress before these escalate into violent incidents.

Both discussions highlighted the importance of early intervention, coordinated action and shared responsibility. Recognizing potential threats is only the first step; knowing where to report them and how to respond appropriately is equally important.

The message is clear: The safety of the younger generation must never be treated as an afterthought. It is a shared responsibility that demands not only promises but consistent action.