BACOLOD City — The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) is pushing for tighter security measures in schools across Bacolod City, including stronger enforcement of gun-free school zones and a comprehensive review of campus safety protocols following recent school shooting incidents in the country.
The city council approved two resolutions authored by Councilor Atty. Caesar Z. Distrito, urging police, education authorities, barangays, and public and private schools to take immediate measures to keep firearms and other deadly weapons out of school premises and strengthen their emergency preparedness.
The move followed the August 18 shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University Junior High School and another fatal school shooting in Tacloban City less than two months earlier.
Distrito said the incidents underscore the need for schools and local authorities to reassess existing security measures and take preventive action before a similar tragedy occurs in Bacolod.
One of the resolutions calls on the Bacolod City Police Office, Department of Education-Schools Division of Bacolod City, Commission on Higher Education, concerned barangays, and all public and private educational institutions to strengthen the implementation and enforcement of gun-free school zones.
The measure also seeks to ensure compliance with Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, and other laws and regulations governing firearms and security in educational institutions.
The second resolution calls for an immediate and comprehensive assessment of security and emergency preparedness in schools throughout the city.
Among the areas to be reviewed are entry and exit controls, visitor identification and monitoring, deployment of security personnel, CCTV coverage, emergency communication and alarm systems, perimeter security, measures to prevent firearms and other deadly weapons from entering campuses, and evacuation and lockdown procedures.
The assessment also seeks to strengthen coordination among schools, police units, barangays, and emergency responders to ensure that institutions have clear and workable protocols during emergencies.
“We should not wait for a similar tragedy to happen in Bacolod before we act,” Distrito said, stressing that schools must remain places where children can learn, grow, and pursue their dreams without fear for their safety.
Distrito emphasized that the measures are intended to prevent violence and improve preparedness rather than create a climate of fear inside schools.
“The safety of our students must always be paramount,” he said.
“Keeping firearms and deadly weapons out of our schools, strengthening access controls, and ensuring that every institution has clear and workable emergency protocols are practical steps that can save lives,” he added.
Distrito said prevention and preparedness should come ahead of tragedy, stressing that school security cannot rest solely on school administrators or law enforcement and requires coordinated action from the entire community./PN
