DepEd to Require Active Shooter Drills in Schools as Campus Safety Measures Increase
Following recent school violence incidents, the Department of Education is requiring schools to conduct active shooter drills to help students and staff respond quickly during emergencies and strengthen campus safety.
Parents send their children to school expecting them to learn, grow, and come home safely. In response to recent incidents of school violence—including the tragic shooting in Tacloban City—the Department of Education (DepEd) is strengthening campus security by requiring schools to conduct active shooter drills alongside existing disaster preparedness exercises. The initiative is part of a broader effort to ensure schools are prepared for emergencies while keeping learners safe.
Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said the department must adapt to changing realities. “We have to adjust because this is the first time we have experienced a school shooting involving students,” he said during an interview with Inquirer, adding that DepEd is also coordinating closely with the Philippine National Police (PNP) to improve emergency response protocols.
The Need for Getting Everyone to Safety
The planned drills are designed to teach students, teachers, and school personnel how to respond calmly and efficiently if an active threat occurs. Schools will develop contingency plans that include evacuation routes, lockdown procedures, communication protocols, and coordination with local authorities.
The active shooter drills are only one part of DepEd’s wider School Safety Campaign. Schools are also strengthening bag inspections, enforcing the ban on firearms and other deadly weapons on campus, increasing security coordination, and expanding mental health and anti-bullying programs to prevent violence before it happens.
Schools and Shootings Should Never Mix
No parent ever wants active shooter drills to become part of school life. But preparedness can help save lives if the unthinkable happens.
DepEd emphasizes that schools should remain places where children feel safe to learn, not fearful. By combining emergency preparedness with stronger security, mental health support, and violence prevention programs, the department hopes to reassure families that protecting learners remains its highest priority. While drills cannot eliminate every risk, they can ensure that students and educators know exactly what to do during an emergency—and that schools are doing everything they can to keep children safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
They are emergency preparedness exercises that teach students and school staff how to respond safely during an active shooter incident.
The drills were announced after recent school violence incidents to strengthen campus preparedness and improve emergency response.
Yes. Active shooter drills will complement existing emergency preparedness activities.
DepEd is increasing bag inspections, enforcing weapon bans, improving school security, and expanding mental health and anti-bullying initiatives.
Parents can reassure children that safety drills are designed to protect them, not frighten them. Encourage them to listen carefully to teachers during drills, talk openly about any fears they may have, and remind them that schools, families, and emergency responders all work together to keep students safe. Maintaining open communication with your child’s school can also help parents stay informed about campus safety measures.
More about school safety?
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School Violence Philippines: DepEd Strengthens School Safety
Mental Health in Schools: DepEd Hires More Guidance Counselors
