Philippine Schools Shift Online Amidst Shooting Threats

Escalante National High School in Negros Occidental has suspended face-to-face classes and shifted to an alternative delivery mode following a shooting threat, as reported by the school's official publication, The Light Bearer. The decision was made after an emergency meeting involving the Division Office, the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the school administration to ensure the safety of students and personnel. The alleged threat involved messages from an individual vowing to bring a gun to the school and emulate the June 22 shooting incident in Tacloban City, with screenshots of the conversation circulating. Earlier on the same day, Batangas City Integrated High School also suspended classes due to a similar threat, which was later resolved with classes set to resume on June 30. The Escalante incident marks the second reported school shooting threat on Monday, following a series of violent incidents involving minors since June 16. Education Undersecretary Malcolm Garma had previously stated that the Tacloban incident and a stabbing in Cavite appeared to be isolated cases. However, threats have continued to surface. On June 25, authorities foiled a potential attack by a 14-year-old student in Leyte. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla noted that the student was also a fan of GoreBox, an online game temporarily blocked by the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center after the Tacloban school shooting. These incidents raise concerns about youth safety and the influence of online games in the Philippines.