MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has postponed its planned nationwide school safety drill for active attack incidents, moving the exercise from August 25 to the first week of September 2026 as bad weather disrupts face-to-face classes in several areas.
But the delay comes as the proposed drills face growing scrutiny from mental health experts, turning what was meant to be a nationwide preparedness exercise into a broader debate: How can schools prepare children for violence without causing them additional fear or trauma?
DepEd said the postponement was prompted by prevailing inclement weather and class cancellations. The rescheduled exercise will give the department more time to coordinate with experts and ensure the activity considers weather conditions, disaster preparedness, child protection and psychosocial support.
A Drill Born From Growing School Safety Concerns
The nationwide exercise was designed to test how schools would respond to an active threat — from securing classrooms and evacuating learners to communicating with authorities and reuniting students with their families.
Schools had been directed to review their contingency plans, identify evacuation routes and safe areas, establish emergency communication procedures and coordinate with local government units and emergency responders. DepEd’s guidance also stressed that drills should be age-appropriate, trauma-informed and designed to avoid causing harm.
The heightened focus on school security follows a series of violent incidents that have shaken the country’s education sector. Earlier this year, a deadly shooting at a school in Tacloban prompted DepEd to introduce active-shooter preparedness protocols. More recently, a shooting at a school in Zamboanga renewed national concern over campus security and access to firearms.
Mental Health Experts Warn: Preparedness Must Not Come at a Cost
The postponement also follows calls from psychiatric organizations to reconsider how active-shooter scenarios are introduced to children.
The Philippine Psychiatric Association and the Philippine Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry have warned that highly realistic simulations could expose students to unnecessary psychological distress. The groups said schools should prioritize evidence-based and trauma-informed preparedness, suggesting lower-intensity approaches such as tabletop exercises and coordinated planning discussions as alternatives to frightening simulations.
That distinction could prove crucial as DepEd prepares for the rescheduled nationwide activity. The issue is no longer simply whether schools should prepare for worst-case scenarios — it is how that preparation should be carried out.
Beyond Drills: The Bigger Question of School Security
Education officials have also acknowledged that drills alone cannot solve the deeper challenges surrounding school safety. DepEd has been pushing for stronger security measures, including additional school guards and equipment, while officials have emphasized the need for prevention and closer coordination among schools, families, communities and law enforcement.
For parents and students, the postponement may offer a brief pause. But the larger conversation is only beginning.
When the nationwide drills finally proceed in September, the challenge for DepEd will be clear: prepare schools for danger without making children feel that school itself has become a place to fear.
As the country confronts an issue once considered rare in Philippine campuses, one question now hangs over every safety plan: Can the education system find a way to protect learners before the next emergency forces it to learn another painful lesson?
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