Stressing that schools must be among the safest places in the country, President Marcos ordered authorities and concerned agencies to strengthen student protection after the tragic shooting incident in a private school in Zamboanga City.

In a statement on Tuesday, Aug. 18, Marcos conveyed his sympathy to the families of the students who died in the tragic shooting incident.

"We grieve with the families and the entire Ateneo de Zamboanga community over a tragedy that should never have happened," Marcos said in a statement on Tuesday, Aug. 18.

According to Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Adan Olaso, two students died during the incident— a high school student and the shooter, who was reported to have shot himself after the shooting spree inside the school on Tuesday morning.

In his statement, the President stressed that schools must be among the safest places in the country. Thus, he assured the public that they will ensure that safeguards to protect students are strengthened.

"Our schools are where we entrust our children to learn, to grow and to dream about the lives ahead of them. They must also be among the safest places in our country," Marcos said.

"We will work with our schools and communities to strengthen the safeguards that protect our students and ensure that they can pursue their education without fear," Marcos added.

"Every Filipino family deserves that assurance," he further said.

The Chief Executive also directed law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.

He also told them "to determine what more must be done to prevent another family, another school and another community from suffering the same grief."

In a briefing, Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said whether it was a private or public school, the President gave instructions to authorities to intensify the protection of students.

"Pribadong man o pampublikong paaraan nandiyan pa rin ang pag-uutos ng ating Pangulo na dapat na ang pagpoprotekta sa ating kababayan, lalong lalo na sa kabataan ay dapat paigtingin (Whether an institution is private or public, our President has still directed that the protection of our fellow Filipinos, especially the youth, must be strengthened)," Castro said.

"At ang isa sa mga nakikita rin ditong solusyon ay ang dapat na ang mga kabataan natin ay nagagabayan, hindi lamang ng kanilang mga magulang kung hindi sa kanila mismong paaralan (And one of the solutions we see here is that our young people should be properly guided—not only by their parents but also by their schools themselves)," Castro added.