DepEd, DILG to formalize tanod deployment in public schools

By Jordan Kurt Domingo

PUBLIC schools nationwide, including those in the Bicol Region, could benefit from strengthened campus security as the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) prepare to formalize the deployment of barangay tanods to help protect students and school personnel.

DepEd Assistant Secretary Roger Masapol said the two agencies were scheduled to sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) formalizing the arrangement following the deployment of village watchmen to schools after a deadly shooting at San Jose National High School in Leyte in June.

Three people were killed and several others injured when two students armed with pistols opened fire at the school, prompting renewed calls for tighter security in educational institutions.

The proposed agreement seeks to strengthen coordination among DepEd, local government units (LGUs) and barangays in providing security assistance to public schools across the country. In Bicol, the initiative could reinforce existing efforts by school administrators and local officials to protect learners, teachers and other school personnel.

Masapol told lawmakers that DepEd conducted a nationwide school security and safety audit following the Leyte incident. The results showed an increase in the number of schools equipped with closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.

From 36 percent in the initial audit, the proportion of schools with CCTV systems rose to 49 percent in the subsequent assessment, which Masapol attributed to increased efforts by schools and LGUs.

He said schools finance security improvements through a combination of institutional operating budgets, LGU subsidies and Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) funds.

The audit also found that more than 43 percent of schools had security personnel, including watchmen, private security guards and volunteers, up from 31.7 percent in the earlier survey.

Under DepEd's proposed security staffing guidelines, schools with fewer than 500 learners and those with 501 to 1,000 students would be assigned one security personnel each. Large schools would have two, while extremely large campuses would have four.

For public schools in Bicol and other regions, the proposed measures underscore the importance of cooperation among school administrators, barangay officials and local governments in addressing campus security needs.

However, the proposed MOA and staffing guidelines do not automatically guarantee additional personnel or security equipment for every school. Their implementation will depend on the finalized agreement and the resources available to the concerned agencies and LGUs.