ILOILO — The Regional Peace and Order Council in Western Visayas is considering a multi-layered security strategy to strengthen protection for public and private schools amid continuing concerns over violence and shooting incidents.
The proposal was discussed during the council’s third-quarter meeting on Sept. 21 in Iloilo City, where officials also reviewed regional anti-insurgency, law-enforcement and anti-drug operations. Maj. Gen. Joey Escanillas, commander of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division and vice chairperson of the council, presided over the meeting.
One of the proposed measures is the creation of a technical working group that would develop a comprehensive school-security strategy. The group would focus on preventive measures, stronger coordination among government agencies and improved protection for students, teachers and other school personnel.
The proposal comes as authorities across Western Visayas have increased attention on school safety following a series of incidents involving violence and threats in Philippine schools.
The Police Regional Office 6 has already expanded coordination with schools, local governments and emergency responders. In August, police conducted eight simulation exercises in schools across Western Visayas involving scenarios such as active-shooter incidents, bomb threats, stabbing and hostage-taking. Authorities said the exercises were intended to test procedures and improve preparedness rather than indicate any specific or imminent threat.
The regional police have also encouraged greater participation from students, parents, teachers and communities in preventing school-related incidents. A youth safety initiative encourages students to promote responsible behavior, identify concerns and report potential threats to appropriate authorities.
The proposed multi-layered approach would complement these existing efforts rather than rely solely on police presence. Possible areas of coordination include school administrators, law-enforcement agencies, local governments, emergency responders and community stakeholders.
The council also received updates from the 3rd Infantry Division on peace and security operations, while the regional police presented its law-enforcement accomplishments and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency reported on the region’s drug situation.
Authorities have emphasized that school safety requires cooperation beyond security forces. Previous regional initiatives have included police patrols around schools, coordination with education officials and preparedness exercises designed to improve emergency response.
The proposed technical working group has yet to finalize a region-wide security framework. Its work will determine what specific measures could be adopted by public and private schools across Western Visayas.
The initiative puts greater emphasis on prevention, early coordination and emergency preparedness as authorities work to strengthen school safety without disrupting the normal learning environment.
