Cebu City officials and law enforcement are moving to strengthen school security measures following a deadly shooting in Tacloban City that left three students dead and nearly 20 others injured. Last week, representatives from the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), the Department of Education, and the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) met with Mayor Nestor Archival and Councilor Paul Labra to discuss implementation plans.
Simulation Exercises Planned
Police Lieutenant Colonel Franco Rodulf Oriol, deputy city director for administration of the CCPO, announced that one of the key initiatives is to conduct simulation exercises replicating the Tacloban scenario. The drills aim to assess the preparedness of police officers, school officials, teachers, parents, and especially students in the event of a school shooting. Students will be taught initial steps to avoid becoming victims, while the drill will also measure police response times and coordination.
“This is to see our coordination and police response so that we can ensure that what happened in our neighboring province will not happen here in Cebu City,” Oriol said in Filipino. He added that police hotlines have already been distributed to all public and private schools for emergency use. These hotlines will help authorities evaluate response effectiveness and the time it takes for responders to arrive.
Drill Procedures and Participants
During the simulation, students will hear simulated gunfire, and teachers are expected to keep students calm. Teachers will also be trained to immediately lock classroom doors while waiting for police. Personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and other government agencies will participate in the response. The CCPO has identified potential schools for the exercise but will not disclose them for now.
Enhanced Security Measures
In addition to drills, school security has been strengthened through bag inspections of students. Oriol also said the Cebu City Government will distribute metal detectors to security personnel in every school campus to detect weapons in students' bags. These measures aim to further enhance campus safety and prevent a tragedy like the Tacloban incident from occurring in Cebu City.
