NCRPO, DepEd kick off National School Safety Week in Quezon City

National Capital Region Police top cop PBGen Christopher Abrahano joins the regional kickoff and flag-raising ceremony for National School Safety Week at San Francisco National High School in Quezon City on Monday, October 12. Jeff Caparas, ABS-CBN NewsMANILA — The National Capital Region Police Office and the Department of Education in Metro Manila kicked off the observance of National School Safety Week on Monday, October 12.

NCRPO chief PBGen Christopher Abrahano joined DepEd National Capital Region officials in the kickoff ceremony at San Francisco High School in Quezon City.

Abrahano was joined by Quezon City Police District director PBGen Christopher Olazo and other police officials.

Authorities called for stronger coordination among schools, police, families, barangay officials, communities and other local stakeholders to protect students from threats.

The nationwide observance aims to strengthen safety and security in schools and promote inclusive learning environments by raising awareness of bullying, violence, abuse, online threats, emergency protocols and disaster preparedness.

Rita Riddle, assistant regional director of DepEd NCR, said the department has established mechanisms to address concerns involving learner protection, including Learner Protection Committees in schools and designated focal persons.

“Ngayon, the DepEd has been providing school guidance advocates so we are hiring mga ganyan po para to train them as well the school leaders as well, turuan din sila para doon sa pagtugon as mga ganitong problema,” Riddle said.

She noted the importance of the initiative in promoting the protection of children and demonstrating the department’s commitment to addressing school safety concerns.

“Sa mga students po let us learn to speak up and for the teachers let us try to observe what our children is going through,” Riddle said.

The kickoff came after the NCRPO held its first Metro Manila School Safety and Security Summit, which brought attention to the need for stronger partnerships among law enforcement agencies, school administrators and communities.

“Follow-up ito doon sa first Metro Manila School Safety and Security Summit. Maganda yung timing ngayon naman yung National Safety Week na sine-celebrate sa buong kapuluan, kickoff ito ng National Safety Week,” Abrahano said.

He said that awareness and prevention should take precedence over responding to incidents after they occur.

“Mahalaga ito dahil unang una yung awareness importante sa atin kasi even before yung responses natin mas gusto natin ine-expose natin yung prevention. And prevention starts, siyempre nabanggit kanina ng mga nagsalita sa totoo lang sa pamilya, sa estudyante mismo, sa mga kasamahan natin sa community. Importante maintindihan nila ito na bawat isa doon sa stakeholders natin including the students may responsibilidad,” Abrahano said.

The NCRPO chief said the police would support school safety efforts from prevention and preparedness to response and rehabilitation, while urging students, school personnel and community members to report warning signs of potential threats.

“The commitment ng PNP eh tutulong tayo in all aspects ng prevention, preparation, response and even doon sa rehabilitation. Pero focus tayo doon sa prevention, kailangan kapag may mga indicators mabanggit sa pulis yan and I promise you ang pulis aaksyon, tulong tulong tayo. We are together in this, kapit bisig yung kapulisan at saka school officials, even the families para labanan natin itong mga emerging threat na ito,” he said.

Abrahano also reiterated the directive of Chief PNP General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. to strengthen coordination between police units and school authorities before incidents occur.

“I am instructing our station commanders even our PCP commanders, our chiefs of police, our district directors na paigtingin nila yung coordination with our school authorities,” he said.

He said school officials should know which police community precinct (PCP) has jurisdiction over their school and how to contact the responsible police commander in case of an emergency.

“Dapat alam nung school authorities yung number ng PCP commander doon, alam ng high school anong PCP, sino ang tatawagan nila. We have the Unified 911 pero more than that dapat may personal interaction yung ating PCP, the lowest substation commander kailangan mayroon siyang coordination sa mga schools na ito,” Abrahano added.

The ceremony concluded with the Panata ng Buong Komunidad para sa mga Ligtas na Paaralan and the signing of a school safety commitment wall.

The National School Safety Week observance covers public elementary and secondary schools, as well as Community Learning Centers nationwide, underscoring the shared responsibility of education officials, law enforcement, families and communities in keeping learning environments safe.