Child Rights Group Urges Focus on Root Causes Over Active Shooter Drills

A child rights group on Thursday said active shooter drills in public schools are a short-term response to rising school violence nationwide, urging the government to address the root causes of security threats. “These responses from the government on the rising school-related violence are lazy, reactive, and merely stopgap measures,” Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns Spokesperson Elle Buntag said in Filipino in a statement. “As we have repeatedly said, the government must address the root of the problem,” she added. “Let’s focus on long-term and scientific solutions instead of implementing measures to prove that we’ve done and we are doing something.” The group noted that instead of focusing on ‘band-aid’ solutions, funding must be used to strengthen efforts in building up the infrastructure crucial for children’s healthy development. “Addressing school violence means addressing systemic problems that affect Filipino children’s development – poverty and the lack of access to quality education and other basic social services,” Ms. Buntag said. The Department of Education (DepEd) earlier ordered public schools nationwide to develop their own active threat response plans, following the first active shooter drill at Manila Science High School. The simulation comes a month after a school shooting in Tacloban City left three students dead and 20 others injured. During the drill, lockdown and lockout protocols were practiced, including barricading doors and windows, turning off lights, silencing devices, and staying on the ground. Teachers were also tasked with carrying out evacuation plans during incidents to ensure a swift, organized response to potential threats. However, the agency clarified that simulation drills are only a part of a “broader, proactive safety framework” and would not solve the broader issue of school violence. “It is not enough for our learners to simply become accustomed to drills for their physical safety,” Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara said in Filipino in a news release on Thursday. “We must also ensure their mental and emotional well-being and make sure they have access to helplines and guidance services in every school without fear,” he added. Other initiatives to promote learners’ safety include a nationwide school safety audit, increased police patrols, and dedicated funding for CCTV systems, metal detectors, and repairs to school perimeter fences. The agency has also expanded localized anti-bullying measures across campuses. At the same time, learners are taught to identify early warning signs of both online and offline abuse through social-emotional learning (SEL) integrated into the curriculum and classroom-based discussions. — Almira Louise S. Martinez