Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Allison Co

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — In the wake of another school shooting incident within just two months, experts said preventing similar incidents from happening again is the responsibility not just of schools and parents, but also of the public. Registered psychologist Jholyan Fornillos of the UP Los Baños Department of Social Science called on the public to be sensitive and critical when sharing information and posting content online about such incidents, warning against possible copycat effects.“No child is born violent. So probably there are a plethora, a number of factors that would lead to a child to behave like that… ‘yung Ateneo de Zamboanga (incident) possibly naman na copycat behaviors lang din yan,” Fornillos explained.According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, the “copycat effect” is a psychological phenomenon in which a person’s actions can lead others to imitate the behavior. It is often observed in cases involving crimes, suicides, and violent acts, and can be triggered by media coverage of such incidents.This is why the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas released a statement calling on media organizations, journalists, content creators, and social media users to “protect human dignity and the rights of minors” over views and likes.The KBP called on the public to practice responsibility online by:* Not posting the names or faces of minors involved, to protect them from further trauma and public sensationalism.* Not sharing graphic imagery, uncensored media, or intrusive videos of private grief, out of respect for victims and their families.* Prioritizing sensitivity and safety over breaking news.<div> </div>Fornillos added that posting graphic content and sharing private details can trigger copycat behavior.“We are encouraging the public to avoid or to refrain from posting graphic details of the event. Halimbawa, saan nakuha yung baril, sino yung victims, sino yung shooter, sino yung survivors particularly because this could actually encourage others to do the same,” he added.<div> </div>Early signs to look out forFornillos said shooting incidents do not happen overnight. Parents, teachers, and guardians can watch out for certain signs in children to know when to seek mental health support or professional help.“Napakahalaga sa parents, sa teachers, sa guardians, and even the whole community to be able to understand and spot signs of mental health issues, yung mga red flags or warnings,” he said.Fornillos said these signs can be abbreviated as SAD:* Sudden changes in behavior* Atypical behavior* Disruptions in usual activities<div> </div>“For the parents it’s really about supervising and monitoring their child’s activities, check their child’s mental health as well as their social media presence,” he added.<div> </div>Fornillos also warned that simply monitoring a child’s social media activity may not be enough to prevent such incidents, as school shootings can be linked to a larger phenomenon taking place online.“This is part of a larger pattern or trend in the global scale, yung tinatawag nilang nihilistic violent extremeism. So that could also come into play to these kinds of behaviors.”

In the wake of another school shooting incident, experts said preventing similar incidents from happening again is the responsibility not just of schools and parents, but also of the public.

In the wake of another school shooting incident, experts said preventing similar incidents from happening again is the responsibility not just of schools and parents, but also of the public.

No child is born violent, psychologist says

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No child is born violent, psychologist says

Allison Co,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 18, 2026 07:08 PM PHT

Read More:

youth

mental health

violence

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