Belmonte: Beef up security in Quezon City public schools

MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has directed concerned agencies to implement stricter security measures in all schools in the city following the fatal stabbing of a senior high school student by his classmate at Culiat High School last week.

“While we consider this an isolated case, the incident underscored the need to come up with additional security interventions in our public learning institutions,” Belmonte said during a recent consultative meeting with various local officials and stakeholders.

“We need to strengthen the security in our schools to prevent an incident similar to what happened in Culiat High School,” she added in Filipino.

Among those who attended the meeting were barangay officials and representatives from the Quezon City Police District, Social Services and Development Department, Schools Division Office, Education Affairs Unit, Office of the Assistant City Administrator for Operations, QC Public School Teachers Association, QC Parent-Teachers Association and Northcom Security and Investigation Agency.

Random checks

In a statement yesterday, the city government said random security checks will be conducted in schools as part of the security measures to help guarantee the safety of teachers and learners.

The city’s Department of Public Order and Safety will also ensure that public schools have existing contingency and crisis management plans that are being properly and regularly observed.

Several preemptive measures will also be put in place, such as additional closed-circuit television cameras in schools, values formation programs and the hiring of additional guidance counselors.

Belmonte also ordered barangays to propose and fund programs for out-of-school youth, which data showed comprise most cases involving children in conflict with the law in the city.