Solons, EDCOM 2 call for urgent policy reforms following Zamboanga school shooting incident
Lawmakers are pressing for urgent policy reforms following a school shooting in Zamboanga on Aug. 18, renewing calls to strengthen campus security and address emerging threats.
Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Adan Olaso confirmed that a Grade 9 male student of Ateneo de Zamboanga University brought a high-powered firearm and a .45-caliber pistol to campus at around 8 a.m. on Tuesday, reportedly wearing a camera and livestreamed the incident. The incident left one student dead, with the alleged gunman also found dead at the scene.
The tragedy comes just two months after a separate incident in Tacloban, where two minors opened fire in a school, killing three teenage students and injuring 20 others.
In the immediate aftermath, the Second Congressional Commission on Education, or EDCOM 2, appealed to the public to refrain from reposting graphic photos, videos, and rumors to prevent secondary emotional distress and honor the victims.
Tracking gun access
Lawmakers warned against allowing school violence to become normalized, demanding swift measures to improve emergency response, restrict firearm access, monitor online spaces, and expand mental health support nationwide.
Addressing how a minor was able to obtain military-grade weapons, Akbayan Party-list Representatives Chel Diokno and Perci Cendaña called for the swift passage of House Bill No. 10058, or the Child Safety Against Gun Violence Act. The bill prohibits minors aged 18 and below from holding or using firearms and establishes a 100-meter gun-free zone around school campuses.
"Maraming tanong ang kailangang sagutin: Saan nakuha ng bata ang high-powered firearm? Ano ang ugat ng pangyayari? Sino ang nagkulang sa paggabay at pagbabantay?" Diokno said, urging authorities to trace accountability behind the failure in oversight.
Cendaña also warned that violent incidents are becoming alarmingly normalized in educational settings.
"Nakababahala na tila nanonormalize na ang ganitong uri ng karahasan. Schools should be safe spaces for learning and creativity, not places for our kids to fear for their lives. I urge the national government and local authorities to immediately extend the necessary medical services and psychosocial support to the victims, survivors, and their families," he said in a statement.
He further advocated for allocating increased funding in the proposed 2027 National Budget toward mental health services, early intervention initiatives, and violence prevention programs to protect children before similar tragedies take place.
Upgrading campus security
For his part, Sen. Mark Villar strongly condemned the violence and promised to push for the passage of the LIGTAS Act, which seeks to strengthen campus safety through increased police presence, coordinated threat assessments, direct emergency hotlines, prompt parental notification, and adequate first-aid, medical, and security support.
He wrote in his Facebook post, "Our schools must be places where our children feel safe. Hindi natin dapat hintayin ang susunod na insidente bago palakasin ang kanilang proteksyon."
EDCOM 2 renewed calls for the passage of the School Safety Act, which it said would go beyond addressing bullying by ensuring that students’ mental health and overall safety are given greater priority. It noted the growing trend of campus violence, emphasizing the need to strengthen existing safeguards against bullying, improve mental health services, and make schools safer.
"Recent tragic events in our schools are a stark reminder that we must act now to safeguard our students inside and outside the classroom. #EDCOM2 calls for immediate support and psychological first aid for all affected communities, alongside urgent policy reforms to ensure student safety and well-being nationwide," it wrote in its Facebook post.
Among the measures it pushed are the strict enforcement of anti-bullying policies, including closer monitoring of child protection mandates across school divisions; expanded mental health support through the urgent hiring and strengthening of guidance and school counselors; and safer learning spaces through stronger partnerships between schools, local government units and communities.
'It takes a village to raise a child'
Highlighting the influence of digital spaces, social isolation, and online environments, senators emphasized that curbing school shootings requires a unified effort from families, digital platforms, local communities, and the national government.
Sen. Kiko Pangilinan pointed out that such violence may be linked to social isolation, noting that limited face-to-face interaction and the heavy online engagement may weaken empathy and foster aggressive behavior. He also emphasized that the community has a vital role in protecting children and advocated for a comprehensive "human safety net."
"Tulad ng baha na lumulubog sa ating mga komunidad, hindi rin kayang lutasin ng isang tao, isang batas, o isang hakbang lamang ang krisis na ito," he added. "Sama-sama rin dapat ang ating tugon. It takes a village to raise a child."
"Bawat isa sa atin ay may papel sa pagbuo ng human safety net na sasalo sa ating mga anak bago sila tuluyang matangay ng problema. Para sa isa’t isa, kailangan ng presence, pakikinig, at ang simpleng pagpapaalala na walang sinuman ang kailangang harapin ang sakit at bigat ng buhay nang nag-iisa," he concluded.
To build this, Pangilinan called for safer campuses funded with additional guidance counselors and mental health professionals, stricter firearm regulations, and stronger safeguards against online bullying and cyber terror-grooming.
Stressing that no single law or agency can resolve the crisis alone, he reminded the public that protecting the youth truly requires an entire community's presence and active engagement.
Adding a critical perspective on modern digital threats, Sen. Risa Hontiveros is deeply troubled over the trend of displaying, imitating, and livestreaming violence, calling it a symptom of a much broader societal issue.
As Chair of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, Hontiveros pledged to lead upcoming Senate hearings focusing on Nihilistic Violent Extremism, online grooming for violent acts, and digital safety risks. She said that the hearings aim to identify changes needed in schools and online environments to prevent such incidents from happening again.
"Hindi dapat matutong mabuhay sa ganitong takot ang ating mga pamilya. Makakaasa kayo na gagawin natin ang lahat upang mapakilos ang gobyerno at maprotektahan ang ating mga anak," Hontiveros concluded.
In July, the Department of Education has announced has rolled out active shooting drills in public schools to ensure the safety of learners. Education Sec. Sonny Angara said this initiative aims to equip learners and teachers in the event of on-campus violence.