Education Secretary Sonny Angara led the Department of Education’s response at Banga National High School on Saturday, bringing together school personnel, parents, local officials, and law enforcement representatives to provide immediate assistance and strengthen support for the school community following the recent incident.
During his visit, Angara inspected the school, joined security and teacher debriefings, visited the victims’ wakes, and checked on those receiving medical care. He also coordinated with local officials and police on response measures, school safety, and the delivery of psychosocial support to learners, teachers, and personnel.
“No words can undo the grief and trauma felt by our families here in Banga. Our primary duty right now is care, providing real, sustained support to our learners, teachers, and personnel,” Angara said.
Angara emphasized the importance of a whole-of-community approach in keeping schools safe, with local governments, barangay officials, communities, and law enforcement working closely with DepEd to strengthen safety measures in schools.
“‘Yung security measures, kailangan talagang paigtingin dahil hindi talaga kami handa sa mga ganitong shootings. Naka-concentrate tayo sa academic performance ng mga bata,” Angara said.
He also called for stronger local support for school safety, particularly in campuses without dedicated security personnel. Angara thanked the South Cotabato provincial government, led by Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., for supporting the deployment of security guards and said DepEd has requested barangay officials and tanods to help complement police patrols in schools.
“Kailangang magsama-sama ang lahat ng komunidad dito, kabilang ang local government para sa pagpondo ng security guards,” he said.
Alongside safety measures, Angara underscored the importance of continued mental health support for learners and school personnel. DepEd immediately deployed Psychological First Aid teams to provide assistance and help members of the school community cope with the impact of the incident.
Angara also highlighted DepEd’s efforts to expand its mental health support system through the hiring of School Counselor Associates, recognizing the importance of providing timely assistance to learners who may be facing concerns that are not immediately visible.
“Pati ang mental health ng ating mga kabataan ay apektado na rin. Paigtingin natin ang ating interventions dahil minsan hindi ito halata. Minsan sinasabi ng mga guro na magaling at walang problema ang bata, pero mayroon palang mga problema. Kaya hiring tayo ng School Counselor Associates para makatulong nang malaki,” Angara said.
In line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., DepEd is expediting a comprehensive review of its existing campus safety guidelines in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Angara has also proposed a Joint School Safety Task Force with the DILG and PNP to support localized safety assessments and strengthen coordination among agencies in addressing the needs of schools and their communities.
As authorities continue their investigation and response efforts, classes at Banga National High School will temporarily shift to suspended or remote learning to provide the school community with time and space to recover while necessary interventions are being carried out.
DepEd continues to work closely with local authorities, school officials, and community partners to support the safety, well-being, and recovery of learners, teachers, and personnel. The Department also respects the jurisdiction of the PNP in the ongoing investigation and appeals to the public to respect the privacy of the affected families and refrain from sharing unverified information and media content related to the incident.
