SAN RAFAEL, Bulacan — Carlos F. Gonzales High School here participated in a simultaneous safety drill aimed at preparing students, teachers, and school administrators for possible incidents of violence on campus.
The activity was held in response to recent shooting incidents reported in several schools. However, unlike the previous drill, the latest exercise did not include a re-enactment of an active-shooter situation.
School officials removed the re-enactment to prevent possible physical and emotional trauma among participating learners, following the recommendations of experts.
A fire alarm served as the signal for the start of the drill. In the simulated scenario, students were attending a physical education class when the alarm sounded. They immediately returned to their classrooms with their teacher, while school administrators contacted the emergency hotline 911.
Police officers arrived shortly afterward and searched the classrooms to ensure that the simulated threat had been contained. An ambulance also arrived to portray the transport of injured students, while teachers administered first aid to others.
The entire drill lasted approximately six minutes.
The exercise was designed to familiarize students, teachers, and school administrators with the proper procedures to follow during an unexpected violent incident. The Department of Education clarified, however, that the activity is not mandatory in all schools, although it encouraged schools and communities to cooperate in strengthening student preparedness and safety.
Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla expressed confidence that similar incidents of violence in schools could be prevented from happening again.
Remulla also said he plans to propose to Congress restrictions on students’ access to online games, including Roblox, similar to measures adopted in the United States, Australia, and some European countries. He cited online games as one possible factor contributing to student violence.
The DILG is also expected to coordinate with the National Telecommunications Commission regarding a possible ban on such games.
Meanwhile, DepEd Undersecretary Malcolm Garma said the most important objective of the drill was to ensure that school personnel and learners knew what to do in the event of another emergency.
Garma said the exercise demonstrated the importance of immediately calling 911 to ensure a quick police response. He also emphasized that every school should have a loud alarm system that can effectively alert students and personnel during an emergency.
