DepEd Studying Mandatory Bag Inspections After Tacloban School Shooting

The Department of Education (DepEd) is studying whether to require mandatory bag inspections in schools following the recent school shooting in Tacloban City, as lawmakers on Monday pressed the agency to strengthen campus safety measures. Speaking during the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture hearing, the Education Dept. said bag inspections have previously been conducted on a random basis but are now under review in light of the incident. “Before kasi, bago ng Tacloban incident, random lang ang bag inspection sa mga schools natin. Ngayon tinitingnan namin baka gagawin na siyang mandatory,” Deped Assistant Secretary Roger Masapol said. The department said it is also considering the size of schools before implementing the policy, noting that conducting mandatory inspections in campuses with large student populations could pose logistical challenges. “For example, Parañaque National High School may 14,000 students, medyo nightmare ang bag inspection. Kaya tinitingnan namin ang good combination ng security measures natin,” Masapol said. (Parañaque National High School has 14,000 students, bag inspections would be a nightmare. That is why we are looking for a good combination in regards to our security measures,” Masapol said. Among the measures being considered are increasing entry and exit lanes at school gates to speed up inspections. Lawmakers also questioned the department on whether schools have a mechanism for anonymously reporting online threats made by students or other individuals, including posts on social media that may indicate possible violence. DepEd acknowledged that coordination protocols encouraging students, parents, teachers and non-teaching personnel to report potential threats to authorities have yet to be established. During the hearing, House Committee on Basic Education and Culture chairperson Rep. Roman Romulo urged DepEd to immediately issue a department order outlining school safety protocols instead of waiting for Congress to pass legislation. Romulo said schools already have the responsibility to ensure campus security and could adopt measures while lawmakers deliberate on House Bill No. 475, which seeks to strengthen emergency response and safety protocols in basic education institutions. The proposed measure would require schools to maintain emergency hotlines with police, fire stations and hospitals, establish systems for notifying parents during emergencies, provide emergency equipment such as first-aid kits and fire extinguishers, and install security infrastructure, including gates, perimeter walls and closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems. Romulo added DepEd could use the proposed bill as a guide in crafting administrative rules while Congress continues deliberations on the measure. —RF, GMA News