Philippines pushes school safety reforms after Tacloban shooting

Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez proposed a suite of measures in response to the June 22 mass shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban, which killed three students and injured 20. The proposals, unveiled at a consultative meeting with the DSWD, DOH, DepEd, CHED and local officials, call for a Regional Psychosocial Volunteer Network, stricter school safety and child‑protection protocols, and a Parent and Community Education Initiative. Romualdez also said he will seek legislative reforms to strengthen child‑protection laws and expand mental‑health services nationwide.

Separately, Valenzuela City Mayor Wes Gatchalian convened an emergency meeting on safe schools, urging families, schools, communities and the government to work together. The city plans to boost campus security with more CCTV, stricter guard training, regular lockdown drills and transparent school bags, while expanding counseling, anti‑bullying campaigns and efforts to curb gang influence. Both initiatives aim to improve physical security and mental‑health support for students across the Philippines.