BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Education-Baguio Schools Division Office (DepEd-BSDO) and the city Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) are working with two public schools to develop an active shooter response plan.

“If the plans are successful, we will disseminate (them) to other schools for benchmarking and drills for students and personnel,” said Cliftone Bangsi-el, DepEd-BSDO disaster risk reduction and management focal person, in an interview Friday.

He said the Schools Safety Task Force, composed of representatives from public schools in Baguio, Baguio City Police Office, and DRRMO, has held two meetings.

The most recent focused on reviewing the action plans and feedback from pilot schools Baguio City National High School and Fort del Pilar Elementary School.

“The two schools will submit a refined action plan, which will be reviewed. We will then prepare a tabletop simulation exercise followed by a functional exercise,” Bangsi-el said.

Once finalized, the plan will be distributed to all schools in the city for regular drills, in addition to earthquake preparedness exercises.

He said the initiative was prompted by an active shooting incident in Tacloban City last month, noting the importance of preparing learners for emergencies.

City DRRMO chief Charles Carame said the office is testing the emergency SOS feature on Android phones for use during shooting incidents.

“In your Android phones, go to settings; there is a safety and emergency SOS feature that can be set to immediately call 911. Once activated, just press the power button three times and it will call 911,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mayor Benjamin Magalong said he is not considering a ban on mobile phones in schools as these are important in emergencies.

“Cellphones are not allowed during class hours, but it is a necessity so children can call (their parents or guardians) in emergencies,” he said.

He said a comprehensive study is needed before implementing any policy changes.

Magalong also said the Baguio City Police Office has been conducting police visibility operations in schools to address bullying, a practice that will be strengthened.

Police may also assist in bag inspections to prevent contraband from entering campuses.

Magalong added that schools must conduct drills for both earthquake and active shooter scenarios, noting that responses differ: students should evacuate after an earthquake but remain inside during an active shooter incident.

Schools in the city have begun random bag inspections to discourage students from bringing prohibited items.

About 70 percent of public schools have conducted inspections, officials said.

Parents have expressed support for the initiative, according to DepEd-BSDO. (PNA)