Sen. Mark Villar is pushing for the immediate passage of a proposed law seeking to strengthen safety measures in schools following a string of violent incidents that have killed students and school personnel across the country.

In his co-sponsorship speech, Villar said the loss of lives in schools should prompt concrete and institutionalized measures to prevent violence and protect learners and school workers.

“Lubos pong nakakaalarma ang sunod-sunod na insidente ng karahasan sa mga eskwelahan. Kailangan po na magkaroon ng comprehensive at holistic na solusyon sa isyu na ito, lalong-lalo na at nakikita natin kung gaano kadali para sa mga bata ang magkaroon ng akses sa baril at iba pang deadly weapons (It is deeply alarming to see the successive incidents of violence in schools. We need a comprehensive and holistic solution to this issue, especially given how easily children can gain access to firearms and other deadly weapons),” Villar said.

Villar was referring to Senate Bill No. 2426, or the proposed Comprehensive School Safety Act, a substitute measure under Committee Report No. 89.

The bill proposes a whole-of-society and all-hazards approach to school safety, covering the prevention of, response to, and recovery from various threats and emergencies.

It aims to safeguard learners and school personnel from threats to their physical, mental, psychosocial, health and digital well-being.

Villar noted that the measure incorporates provisions from two bills he had earlier filed: Senate Bill No. 2321, or the Learning Institutions’ Guaranteed Threat Avoidance and Safety (LIGTAS) Act, and Senate Bill No. 2133, or the Students’ Guidance Counseling Act.

Under provisions drawn from the LIGTAS Act, the proposed law would increase the presence of police officers and emergency response teams in and around schools. These personnel would assist in security inspections, threat assessments and other safety measures.

The measure would also require schools to install safety infrastructure, including closed-circuit television cameras and metal detectors.

Meanwhile, provisions from the Students’ Guidance Counseling Act would strengthen mental health interventions in schools.

Villar said professional mental health support is needed to address the growing mental health concerns among young people and deal with underlying problems before they escalate into more serious threats.

The senator also called for greater protection and support for teachers and other school personnel, who are expected to respond to emergencies while being exposed to the same risks as their students.

“Bukod sa kanilang teaching load, nakasalalay rin po sa ating teachers at school staff ang seguridad ng mga estudyante tuwing mayroong insidente tulad nang nangyari sa Tacloban at Zamboanga kung saan school personnel ang ilan sa naging biktima. Mahalaga rin po na bigyan sila ng karagdagang suporta at proteksyon (Beyond their teaching load, the safety and security of students during incidents such as those in Tacloban and Zamboanga also rest on our teachers and school staff, some of whom were among the victims. It is also important that they be provided with additional support and protection),” Villar said.

He said lawmakers and parents share the responsibility of ensuring that children can attend school without fear and return home safely.

“At bilang mga mambabatas at mga magulang, responsibilidad natin na siguraduhing ang mga bata ay malaya at ligtas na makakapag-aral at makakauwi sa kanilang bahay. Walang bata ang dapat matakot pumasok sa paaralan at walang magulang ang dapat mangamba kung makakauwi pa ang kanilang mga anak (And as lawmakers and parents, it is our responsibility to ensure that children can study freely and safely and return home safely. No child should be afraid to go to school, and no parent should have to worry about whether their children will make it home),” he added.

Villar urged his fellow senators to back the measure, warning that violence in schools should not be allowed to become normalized or worsen further.