Cayetano calls for nationwide school town hall dialogues after shooter drill postponement
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday called for nationwide community town hall dialogues in schools after the Department of Education (DepEd) postponed its planned live-shooter drills amid concerns over students’ mental and emotional well-being.
Cayetano cited the joint statement of the Philippine Psychiatric Association (PPA) and the Philippine Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (PSCAP) which urged DepEd to defer the August 25 nationwide drill over concerns that hyper-realistic simulations could cause psychological harm.
“They’re saying that preparedness in schools is essential but the methods chosen must be trauma-informed and grounded in evidence,” the Minority Leader said on August 24, 2026.
Instead of immediately rescheduling the drill, Cayetano proposed using the time to bring school communities together.
“Instead of this drill, while it is being studied, [may I recommend] a national day or half day be declared by the Palace or Malacanang or the President, wherein a community town hall (dialogue) be held in every school and get a sense of community going, and a sense of the problems of each school in terms of the emotional, psychological, mental, spiritual well-being of the students,” he said.
He described the proposal as an expanded parent-teacher meeting involving parents, teachers, student leaders, school officials, religious leaders, youth leaders, business leaders, and other members of the community.
Cayetano said the discussions should also look beyond school shootings and examine the factors that may drive students toward violence or other harmful behavior.
He noted that preparedness remains important but warned that authorities must also consider whether their response could create further harm.
“I just like to focus on the reaction. If the reaction is equally ill-planned or equally harmful, we might have a bigger problem after this drill,” the senator said.
Filipino Version
Cayetano, nanawagan ng school town hall dialogues matapos ipagpaliban ng DepEd ang shooter drill
Nanawagan si Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano nitong Lunes ng pagsasagawa ng nationwide community town hall dialogues sa mga paaralan matapos ipagpaliban ng Department of Education (DepEd) ang planong live-shooter drills dahil sa pangambang maaaring makaapekto ito sa mental at emotional well-being ng mga estudyante.
Ayon kay Cayetano, dapat gamitin ang pagkakataon para pag-usapan ng buong school community ang kalagayan ng mga estudyante habang pinag-aaralan pa ang tamang paraan ng paghahanda sa mga ganitong insidente.
Binanggit niya ang joint statement ng Philippine Psychiatric Association (PPA) at Philippine Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (PSCAP) na humiling sa DepEd na ipagpaliban ang August 25 nationwide drill dahil maaaring magdulot ng psychological harm ang hyper-realistic simulations.
“They’re saying that preparedness in schools is essential but the methods chosen must be trauma-informed and grounded in evidence,” sabi ng Minority Leader nitong August 24, 2026.
Sa halip na agad magtakda ng bagong petsa para sa drill, iminungkahi ni Cayetano na magkaroon muna ng national day o half-day program para magkaroon ng town-hall type na pag uusap bawat paaralan.
“Instead of this drill, while it is being studied, [may I recommend] a national day or half day be declared by the Palace or Malacanang or the President, wherein a community town hall (dialogue) be held in every school and get a sense of community going, and a sense of the problems of each school in terms of the emotional, psychological, mental, spiritual well-being of the students,” sabi niya.
Para kay Cayetano, maaari itong maging mas malawak na bersyon ng parent-teacher meeting na isasali ang mga magulang, guro, student leaders, school officials, religious leaders, youth leaders, business leaders, at iba pang miyembro ng komunidad.
Dapat din aniyang pag-usapan at matukoy hindi lang ang school shootings kundi ang mga problemang maaaring nagtutulak sa ilang estudyante sa karahasan o iba pang mapanganib na gawain.
Mahalaga aniya ang pagiging handa sa anumang insidente pero kailangan ding tiyakin na ang paraan ng paghahanda ay hindi makapagdudulot ng dagdag na pinsala sa mga bata.
“I just like to focus on the reaction. If the reaction is equally ill-planned or equally harmful, we might have a bigger problem after this drill,” sabi ng senador.
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