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The Department of Education (DepEd) has directed public and private schools to designate a Learner Formation Officer (LFO), who shall serve as the school’s focal person for learner formation and protection programs.
The education department has said via a memorandum that the LFO shall be responsible in ensuring implementation of positive behavior, discipline, and values formation programs – in other words, a focal person for school-based child protection and psychosocial support initiatives.
In addition, the LFO is responsible in coordinating with school child protection committee, guidance office, DRRM coordinator, parents and external partners; in ensuring that learner rights and protection are monitored and reported as prescribed by DepEd mechanisms.
The order comes as schools in the country has recorded lists of bullying cases and shooting incidents.
In Tacloban, June this year, a school shooting incident took place at San Jose National High School wherein three students were killed while 20 others were injured. Initial reports identified the suspects as students of the school, while the other was an outsider.
Meanwhile, just recently, as reported by ABS-CBN News on October 18, authorities foiled over 50 planned shootings in South Cotabato.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla has said that the cases involved different individuals and were not part of a single coordinated group. Remulla has added that authorities did not simply rescue the minors but have already become active threats after allegedly displaying firearms and making threats online.
“Hindi mo masasabing minors kasi active threat. Naglalabas ng baril sa internet, so hindi rescued ‘yun. Intervention ang ginagawa namin,” he said.
The Secretary added, “Ganyan kaseryoso ang problemang ito kaya akala ng mga tao na this is not priority number 1, ito na ‘yun, dapat mga kabataan muna.”
Nevertheless, authorities proposes frameworks which will set out what schools and police should do once a disturbing behavior or threat is reported, including how information should be escalated and how agencies should respond.
“Meron tayong preparation, prevention, at saka ‘yung response pero ultimately ang gusto natin lahat ma-prevent na, mag-graduate into an active shooting incident. Hindi lang problema ng pulis ito, problema ng pamilya, community, at schools,” NCRPO Officer-in-charge PBGen. Christopher Abrahano has said, as he said the goal is to catch warning signs before a threat escalates into violence.
