The Department of Education (DepEd) is preparing a digital safety campaign for learners, teachers, and parents following recent school shootings that raised concerns over the possible role of harmful online content and interactions in school violence.
The School Digital Safety Campaign will cover cyberbullying, online harassment, grooming, online child exploitation, scams, privacy risks, gaming safety and exposure to violent or harmful content. It will also provide guidance on healthy screen use, warning signs and procedures for reporting and referring cases.
The move follows the shooting at Banga National High School in South Cotabato, where authorities are investigating reported online activity linked to the incident.
“Keeping our children safe today means understanding that their world extends beyond the classroom and into their phones, games, group chats, and social media. We need to give children, parents, and teachers the knowledge and tools to navigate these spaces safely,” DepEd secretary Sonny Angara said.
DepEd said it would develop age-appropriate materials for students and practical guidance for parents on discussing online experiences with their children, setting boundaries and identifying behavioral warning signs.
Teachers and other school personnel will also be trained to recognize potential risks and follow appropriate reporting and referral procedures.
“Parents do not have to know every app or platform their children use. But they need to keep the lines of communication open. Our children should know that when something online scares them, pressures them, or makes them uncomfortable, they can tell a trusted adult and ask for help,” Angara said.
The campaign will supplement digital citizenship, netiquette, online safety and responsible technology use already incorporated into the revised K-to-10 curriculum.
These subjects are taught from Grades 4 to 10 through Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan, Technology and Livelihood Education, Values Education, and Physical Education and Health.
DepEd said the campaign would translate the curriculum into practices that families and schools could apply outside formal classroom lessons.
The department will coordinate with the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Philippine National Police, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Health, National Bureau of Investigation, local government groups and medical societies.
The agencies are expected to help prepare training materials and protocols for reporting and referring cases. DepEd plans to test the campaign in selected schools before rolling it out nationwide, although it did not disclose a timetable.
The digital campaign will become another component of DepEd’s school safety program, which includes CCTV systems, metal detectors, perimeter fencing, security guards, School Counselor Associates, Learner Formation Officers and Child Protection Committees. Schools also conduct safety and emergency response drills.
The initiative comes as senators push for legislation addressing both physical and online threats to children.
Senate President Win Gatchalian has sought the passage of Senate Bill No. 2426, or the proposed Comprehensive School Safety Act. The measure would establish a national framework covering the prevention of, response to and recovery from school safety incidents.
It would also require schools to prepare and annually update safety plans and handbooks containing emergency procedures, learner support services and codes of conduct. Gatchalian’s office said the proposal was renewed following the Banga school shooting.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, meanwhile, has called for the swift passage of the proposed Sagip Bata Act, which would expand existing protections against online sexual abuse and exploitation to address a broader range of threats and harmful content targeting children online.
“We cannot leave our children to navigate the digital world on their own. Keeping them safe is a shared responsibility of the school, the home, government, and the community,” Angara said.
