DepEd divisions strengthen learners’ safety, protection in Agusan Norte
By Nora L. Molde
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — Learners in Agusan del Norte are benefiting from strengthened school safety, child protection, and learner support measures as the Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Divisions of Cabadbaran City and Agusan del Norte intensify preparedness activities, security measures, counseling services, and partnerships with law enforcement, local government units, and communities.
The initiatives include school safety orientations and security simulations, handheld metal detectors, learner tracking and referral systems, deployment of school counselors, child protection policies, community patrols, and drug prevention education, helping schools prevent risks, respond to emergencies, and provide timely support to learners.
The efforts support the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in ensuring safe, inclusive, and conducive learning environments for Filipino children. They are anchored on DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026, or the “Guidelines on Ensuring a Safe and Motivating Learning Environment,” which strengthens measures to protect learners and promote safe and supportive schools.
During the Agusan del Norte Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting, Governor Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante, chairperson, said she expressed support for the initiatives, emphasizing that protecting learners requires sustained coordination among schools, families, government agencies, law enforcement, barangays, and communities.
“The safety of our learners is a shared responsibility. These initiatives are important because they help our schools prepare for possible emergencies, strengthen security, and ensure that our children have the support and protection they need. When our learners feel safe, they are better able to focus on their studies and reach their full potential,” Amante said.
In Cabadbaran City, Schools Division Superintendent Imelda N. Sabornido emphasized the importance of proactive measures in protecting learners and school personnel, noting that preparedness activities help schools and learners respond appropriately to possible emergencies.
“We cannot wait for an incident to happen before we act. Through safety orientations, simulation exercises, security measures, and strong partnerships with our stakeholders, we are equipping our learners and personnel with the knowledge and skills they need to respond appropriately. These initiatives help build a culture of preparedness and safety in our schools,” Sabornido said.
The Cabadbaran City Division has conducted school safety orientations and mock shooting simulations in coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Cabadbaran, engaging around 100 Grade 8 and 9 learners in each participating school. All schools have also procured handheld metal detectors, while Civilian Volunteer Organizations conduct nightly patrols around schools offering evening classes.
The Division also implements ‘LRP on Wheels,’ a school-based mobile advocacy initiative that brings weekly orientations on learners’ rights, child protection, drug abuse prevention, and anti-trafficking in persons in partnership with the PNP, City Social Welfare and Development Office, City Health Office, and Bureau of Fire Protection.
Meanwhile, Schools Division Superintendent Jeanie L. Mativo said the safety of learners must be supported not only through physical security but also through systems that identify their needs and connect them to appropriate services.
“Our responsibility extends beyond securing the school premises. We must also ensure that learners who are experiencing difficulties or are at risk are identified early and provided with the appropriate guidance, psychosocial, health, and protection services. Strengthening our referral and tracking mechanisms and providing counseling support allows us to respond to learners’ needs in a timely and coordinated manner,” Mativo said.
Under Mativo’s leadership, DepEd Agusan del Norte has strengthened its school referral mechanism and learner tracking systems to ensure that learners requiring guidance, psychosocial, health, and protection services are identified and referred for timely and appropriate intervention.
The division also facilitated the hiring and deployment of 35 school counselor associate I personnel to identified schools, strengthening access to guidance, counseling, and psychosocial support. It likewise finalized its Division Child Protection Policy and developed a localized School Handbook to guide schools in protecting learners and addressing child protection concerns.
For drug prevention, DepEd Agusan del Norte, in partnership with Congressman Dale B. Corvera, continues to implement the Parent-Children Drug Education and Awareness Program (PCDEAP) to strengthen family participation and promote drug-free learning communities.
In support of DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026, the
Cabadbaran City Division issued corresponding Division Memoranda on the
implementation of the guidelines and the posting of information, education, and
communication (IEC) materials on child protection in schools.
Both divisions will sustain regular school safety monitoring, strengthen PNP visibility through school patrols and visits, enhance community partnerships, strengthen the implementation of child protection policies, and encourage municipal governments to deploy ‘tanods’ or members of the barangay peacekeeping action team (BPAT) in schools, particularly in areas where PNP personnel are unavailable.
Through these coordinated interventions, DepEd and its partners are translating the national government’s commitment to learner protection into concrete actions on the ground, helping ensure that children across Agusan del Norte can learn in safer, more secure, protective, and supportive environments. (NCLM, PIA Agusan del Norte)
