Tacloban shooting renews push for CCTV coverage in campuses

MANILA, Philippines – The deadly shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City has renewed calls in the Senate to expand the use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and strengthen school safety measures, with lawmakers stressing that protecting children requires both stronger campus safeguards and community-wide support systems.

Sen. Raffy Tulfo on Wednesday said the tragedy, which left three students dead and several others injured, underscores the need to fully implement security measures he has long advocated, including the installation of CCTV cameras in schools, deployment of security guards and use of metal detectors at campus entrances.

READ: Alfred Vargas eyes CCTVs in QC public schools amid violence concerns

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“With the increasing number of violent incidents in schools, many of which involve students themselves, it is high time that this measure be enacted into law,” Tulfo said, referring to his proposed bill expanding the coverage of the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013.

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Tulfo noted that he first raised concerns over school violence in 2025 and later pushed for mandatory CCTV coverage in classrooms and common areas to help deter crimes, aid investigations and strengthen anti-bullying enforcement.

He said he has also sought assurances from the Department of Education (DepEd) that schools will be provided with adequate security personnel and surveillance systems.

The senator disclosed that Education Secretary Sonny Angara informed him that the Tacloban school had no perimeter fence, allowing the armed students to enter through the rear portion of the campus despite the presence of security guards.

DepEd is now coordinating with local government units on the possible use of Special Education Fund allocations for perimeter fences and metal detectors.

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Whole village approach

While supporting stronger security measures, Sen. Loren Legarda said the Tacloban shooting highlights the need for a broader response that addresses the conditions that place children at risk long before violence occurs.

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“Social media and online games may be part of the story, but they are not the whole story. The harder question is: what else was happening in this child’s life, what warning signs went unnoticed, and how do we make sure the next child in crisis is met with support before tragedy strikes?” Legarda said.

Legarda said schools must be equipped not only with practical security protocols but also with mechanisms to detect warning signs early, enforce anti-bullying policies, and provide guidance and counseling support to students in crisis.

“Our children are growing up in a world that is more connected than ever, but many also feel more isolated than ever,” she said, noting that families, communities, schools, technology companies and government institutions all share responsibility in protecting children.

She added that the tragedy should serve as a reminder that effective child protection goes beyond physical security and requires coordinated action to address bullying, mental health concerns, online risks and access to firearms.

“It takes a whole village to protect a child, and we owe it to every Filipino child to build safer, more caring schools, homes, online spaces, and communities,” Legarda said.

Online gaming

The Philippine National Police (PNP), meanwhile, said it will work with the Cybercrime and Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) for intensified monitoring of video games and online applications that may expose minors to violent behavior and safety risks.The move comes as the police examine possible connections between the open-world gaming platform GoreBox and one of the minor suspects in school shooting in Tacloban.

PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) will take the lead in the coordination not only with the CICC but also with other government agencies and stakeholders.

“As law enforcers, we also have the obligation to initiate measures that will protect all our kababayan, particularly minors, from the harmful effects of exposure to online violence. And this is what we intend to do on this matter,” Nartatez said in a statement.

He added they will also review studies and research outputs on the connection between exposure to online violence of the minors to their behavior in the school and in the community.

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Police records showed that GoreBox, an open-ended sandbox game featuring weapons, environments, and physics systems that allow users to create or destroy scenarios, has already been flagged and is under prohibition by concerned authorities. With a report from Christopher Lloyd Caliwan