6 Lapu-Lapu schools join active attack drill

CEBU, Philippines — Six schools in Lapu-Lapu City will serve as pilot sites for the Nationwide Simultaneous School Safety Drill for Active Attack Incidents on September 3, as authorities step up preparedness measures following recent school attacks in other parts of the country.

The pilot schools are Babag, Bankal, Marigondon, Mactan, Pusok and Sta. Rosa, covering both junior and senior high schools.

Ahead of the drill, the participating schools will undergo a pre-orientation and tabletop exercise at the Department of Education (DepEd) Lapu-Lapu City Division Office.

The activity will involve school officials, Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), Lapu-Lapu City Fire District, police, City Traffic Management Services (CTMS) and other concerned agencies.

The drill is being conducted in compliance with a directive from the DepEd Central Office and will test the schools’ preparedness and coordination in responding to active attack incidents.

The CDRRMO also met with the DepEd Lapu-Lapu City Division, Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO), CTMS and other agencies to review the city’s contingency plan, which had previously been disseminated to DepEd’s disaster risk reduction and management teams.

As part of existing school safety measures, mandatory bag checks will also be implemented in accordance with DepEd policies.

Lapu-Lapu City Police Chief PCol. Agosto Daskeo said threats involving schools will be taken seriously and subjected to proper assessment and investigation.

He said authorities would coordinate with concerned agencies to determine appropriate interventions when necessary.

The city government said school safety efforts should go beyond drills and include sustained preparedness, response and coordination among schools, parents, law enforcement agencies and other government offices.

Lapu-Lapu City is also considering additional security measures, including the proposed distribution of transparent school bags to public school students next school year.

Mayor Ma. Cynthia “Cindi” King-Chan said the bags would allow security personnel to inspect their contents more easily during entrance checks and help identify prohibited items.

“Aron mas mapadali ang security check sa matag entrance sa atong mga public schools,” King-Chan said, explaining the proposal.

The mayor said the transparent bags are being considered as a replacement for the royal blue school bags distributed by the city this school year.

The proposed bags form part of the city’s plan to continue its free school supplies distribution program, which benefited all 105,000 students this school year.

King-Chan said the measure is intended to strengthen security in public schools while giving parents greater peace of mind over the safety of their children. (CEBU NEWS)