Written by: Chrisanne Buenaventura
Photos by: Alexandra Mickaella Acosta

If a student were asked if they feel safe inside school, can you guarantee that their answer would be ‘yes?’

Recently, violence and casualties inside schools have filled our news and media outlets, for instance the shooting incident in San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on June 22nd, around 9:20 AM in the morning, which unfortunately lead to the injury of 13 students and the passing of 3 done by 2 culprits, grades 9 and 10. 

Why did these teenagers resort to such violent acts? What did they have to go through to retaliate in such extremity? There may be a few factors as to why these young individuals have resorted to aggression. Poor influence? Possibly. Personal issues? Maybe. Lack of support, empathy, and kindness? Most likely.

The youth are very susceptible to the media they consume and to their peers. Adult supervision is crucial, especially in the age of the internet and social media. If the younger generation is unguided in navigating the online world, it is most likely that their safety and well-being will be compromised. In line with the statement of the Philippine National Police (PNP), that violent online content heavily influenced the acts of the culprits in the San Jose National High School, Tacloban City shooting. The authorities should be responsible with content, media, and game regulations as these greatly influence whoever consumes them. 

Young individuals are still in the process of developing. They are still in need of proper guidance from adults, especially their parents. When teenagers try to reach out to their parents, guardians, or any trusted adult about some difficult experience that they’re having, and when the adult dismisses their struggle—which most of the time they do—this teenager tends to keep things to themself which leads to chronic emotional suppression. As determined by Katherine Cullen in December 2022, chronic emotional suppression leads to anxiety, stress, and depression. Additionally, based on an article published by the Violence Prevention Project, 40% of school shooters showed depressive moods. Acknowledging and empathizing with your child as parents is one act of kindness toward your children.

As specified by Alfred University’s research, experiencing bullying ranked 2nd in the top motives for school shootings. Bullying and exclusion greatly affects one’s mental and physical well-being. Victims of bullying may feel like they have no choice but to retaliate against their perpetrators. Even a sensible man like our former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte committed a similar act. He said it himself during a campaign rally in Iloilo City, “I was a graduating student from San Beda when I shot a man.” He stated that he was bullied by someone who is in the same fraternity as him just because he was “Bisaya.” President Duterte said they were in the corridor and Goco, the one bullying him, was pushing people around, and he swore that if he got hit he would shoot Goco. And he ended up getting hit, and then he shot Goco. Bullying provokes victims to act on their darkest thoughts, in the hopes of trying to save themselves.

With all of this circulating online, open to the public, open for other students. How do you think they would feel? 

Authorities have and are taking action in making schools safer, for instance by adding more police escorts to guard the entrance and exit gates, monitoring school areas where students tend to gather, having mandatory bag checks and inspection upon entering the school. They are also taking much bigger steps, as The Cybercrime Investigation and Co-ordinating Centre (CICC) banned “Gorebox” due to the discovery that one of the shooters involved in the Tacloban shooting incident played the game. Furthermore, DepEd is launching ‘shooting drills,’ Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla is suggesting violent games to permanently be banned, Sen. Robin Padilla is actively pushing that the age of criminal responsibility should be lowered from 15 to 10 years old, and Sen. Bam Aquino seeking to expand the School Safety Act.

Despite all this, there is something that could still be done to help—even something as small as giving someone a kind gesture. A little goes a long way, they say. Schools may still be fostered and made safe; in always reflecting kindness, support, and respect for one another.

Everyone should work toward making school communities a safe space for all. The government should be responsible in making policies that benefit and protect the welfare of every Filipino. Parents should give their children the proper care and guidance they truly need. And lastly, students should have kindness and respect toward one another. In that way, we can all function greatly as a community at the same time having safely nurtured spaces. The kindness you give is the same kindness you shall receive.