Philippines schools hold armed intruder drills

Philippine schools held active-intruder drills on Thursday, September 3, with about 3,000 students at Carlos F. Gonzales High School north of Manila practising how to respond to an armed threat.

Students barricaded classroom doors with tables and chairs, drew curtains, switched off lights and crouched under tables. Police, emergency responders and about 250 school staff and teachers took part in the 12-minute drill in Bulacan.

The nationwide drills are part of a Department of Education security push after two rare school shooting incidents in recent months. Education Undersecretary Malcolm Garma said schools were experienced in fire and earthquake drills, but active-shooter exercises were new.

The department said it had updated its guidance after mental health advocates warned that hyper-realistic drills can cause lasting psychological harm. It said active aggressor role-playing and graphic threat simulations were prohibited, and that schools would instead use a distinct early warning alarm separate from fire or earthquake signals.

Some parents and educators remained uneasy. Parent April Tapion said she feared the exercise could make children see the world as frightening. Karina Mallonga, director of the Infant Jesus Academy Kalibo Campus, said schools should also strengthen guidance programmes and support for students.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla, who observed the Bulacan drill, said the exercise would help students respond to an attack and improve coordination between police and emergency units.