DILG urges local execs to tap tanod in securing public school students after Nueva Ecija shooting
By Chito Chavez
(MB FILE PHOTO)
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) called on the local government units (LGUs) nationwide on Tuesday, Aug. 12, to deploy barangay security personnel, or barangay tanod, in public schools to ensure the safety of the students.
The statement came after an 18-year old man barged inside a classroom at the Sta. Rosa Integrated School in Barangay Rizal, Santa Rosa, Nueva Ecija on Aug. 7.
In urging the local government units to tap barangay tanod for students' security, the DUILG cited its Memorandum Circular 2025-072 stating that barangays are enjoined to work closely with the Department of Education (DepEd) schools within their jurisdiction to assign tanods who will manage traffic during arrival and dismissal, patrol school premises and nearby areas frequented by students, monitor and report incidents that may threaten safety and perform other lawful duties assigned by the punong barangay (barangay chairman) or the police to secure school zones.
Likewise, the DILG urged the local chief executives (LCE) to provide full logistical support to barangays to ensure the effective implementation of this initiative.
Authorized under Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991, tanods serve as community service units to assist in peace and order efforts.
This school safety drive builds on their existing mandate under DILG Memorandum Circular 2024-086, which includes patrolling communities, securing high-risk areas, preventing crime, and assisting in traffic management.
The DILG also prodded all LGUs, school officials and community leaders “to work together in making every learning space in the country safe and secure for Filipino learners.’’