Philippines ramps up school safety after deadly Tacloban shooting

On June 22, a shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City left three students dead and about 20 injured. In response, the Department of Education began active‑shooter simulation drills in Samar and Eastern Samar provinces in early July, coordinating with the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces, fire services and local disaster offices. The exercises included scenarios of gunfire, bomb threats and stabbing incidents to test evacuation, incident command and inter‑agency coordination.

The incident has prompted a broader push to strengthen school security and mental‑health support nationwide. Authorities report a rise in school‑related violence incidents since the Tacloban attack, and the government has allocated a P2 billion budget for 10,000 associate school counselor positions. Senator Bam Aquino has introduced a School Safety Act aimed at institutionalising comprehensive campus‑security measures, emergency protocols and psychosocial services. These steps seek to prevent copycat attacks and address underlying factors such as bullying, family dynamics and access to firearms.