Jamaine Punzalan

Philippine police gather at a school following a shooting in Zamboanga on August 18, 2026. Roel Parreno,  AFP

Article (news)

Michael Delizo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178832662460120260818-school-shooting-ateneo-zamboanga-AFP.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Philippine police gather at a school following a shooting in Zamboanga on August 18, 2026. Roel Parreno,  AFP </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday said the National Simultaneous School Safety Drill would push through on Thursday without the reenactment of an active-shooter scenario, following concerns from child psychology experts about the activity.</p><p>DepEd Undersecretary Malcolm Garma said the drill would be triggered only by an emergency alarm, similar to those used during fire and earthquake drills.</p><p>“Wala na pong reenactment that meron pong active shooter or active attacker because according to the experts, these might cause psychological trauma sa atin pong mga participant learners and teachers,” Garma said in a chance interview.</p><p>The drill was initially scheduled for August 25 but was postponed due to the effects of inclement weather and the need to incorporate recommendations from child experts.</p><p>The kick-off will take place at a school in Bulacan and will be conducted simultaneously in several other schools. Multistakeholder groups were invited to observe the exercise and provide recommendations.</p><p>The exercise aims to determine the entry and exit points for responders and law enforcers, where they should go during and after an incident, what teachers and students should do, where wounded individuals should be brought, and to assess the schools’ preparedness and capabilities.</p><p>“We would like to see how the school will be able to respond to this kind of alarm, paano sila mag-coordinate, gaano kabilis ang coordination between law enforcers. Second, saan pupunta ang mga bata, ano ang gagawin ng mga bata, anong gagawin ng guro. At kung sakaling matapos na ‘yong insidente, ano ang gagawin ng eskwelahan, anong gagawin ng mga bata, saan sila pupunta to be able to reunify with their parents,” Garma said.</p><p>Garma noted that schools have different situations and contexts, and the exercise would allow DepEd to test their capabilities and determine what else needs to be done.</p><p>“Based on reality, may mga classrooms tayo na walang doorknob eh. So, that is where our inventory comes in. Anong kulang?” he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/28/dilg-to-form-quick-reaction-forces-for-school-security-threats-1440">DILG to form quick reaction forces for school security threats</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>CONSENT REQUIRED</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Participating students should have the consent of their guardians or parents, according to Garma.</p><p>“We might not be able to expect a lot of learners,&quot; Garma said, noting that September 3 is the end-of-term block, a dedicated transition period at the conclusion of the academic term designed to finalize administrative tasks and provide wellness breaks.</p><p>“Puwedeng (hindi um-attend), but of course, we would like to encourage the parents to make their children join kasi para alam din ng mga anak nila kung anong gagawin kung sakaling mangyari ito. Again, that now become part of our enrichment sa experience ng ating mga mag-aaral while they are in school,” he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2026/8/19/school-shooting-psychiatrist-warns-of-copycat-risk-lists-possible-warning-signs-1155">School shooting: Psychiatrist warns of copycat risk, lists possible &#x27;warning signs&#x27;</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>‘IT CAN HAPPEN TO EVERYONE’</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The drill is an offshoot of the recent school shooting incident at Ateneo de Zamboanga University that left two people dead, including the 14-year-old shooter. The post-incident situation there, according to Garma, became chaotic because students and parents did not immediately know where to go.</p><p>The official underscored the importance of the reunification component of the exercise.</p><p>“Ang pinaka-malaking naging problema natin doon is the post-incident. Hindi ho alam ng school kung anong gagawin nila — ‘yong mga wounded po doon, nagkanya-kanya pong punta sa ospital. They were not organized. And the parents, they didn’t know kung nasaan ang anak nila,” Garma said in a separate briefing.</p><p>“Hindi po natin alam, If it happened in Tacloban, if it happened in a private school like Ateneo de Zamboanga, it can happen to everyone,” he added.</p><p>Garma said the drill for human-induced incidents would be conducted to establish muscle memory among learners and school personnel.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/27/student-identified-behind-la-salle-green-hills-security-threat-1724">Student identified behind La Salle Green Hills security threat </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/28/pnp-rules-out-bullying-conspiracy-in-adzu-school-shooting-incident-fr-andal-0825">AdZU president says PNP finds no evidence of bullying, conspiracy in shooting incident</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/8/26/cebu-school-shooting-threat-traced-back-to-14-year-old-girl-1018">Cebu school shooting threat traced back to 14-year-old girl</a></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XwtPVfsXZSg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div>

<p>The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday said the National Simultaneous School Safety Drill would push through on Thursday without the reenactment of an active-shooter scenario, following concerns from child psychology experts about the activity.</p>

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday said the National Simultaneous School Safety Drill would push through on Thursday without the reenactment of an active-shooter scenario, following concerns from child psychology experts about the activity.

DepEd school safety drill to proceed without active-shooter reenactment

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DepEd school safety drill to proceed without active-shooter reenactment

Michael Delizo,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 02, 2026 01:27 PM PHT

Read More:

school shooting

National Simultaneous School Safety Drill

school violence

DepEd

Malcolm Garma

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