A policeman installs yellow tape at the crime scene of a shooting incident in a high school in Banga town, South Cotabato, in the southern island of Mindanao on September 18, 2026. AFP
MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Monday his administration was “committed” to prevent campus violence in the wake of three school shooting incidents in as many months.
Marcos said the government was “promoting a safe and positive learning environment for our students” through various efforts, including the hiring of 10,000 school counselors and associates.
“Hindi katanggap-tanggap ‘yung mga pangyayari na nakita natin sa Tacloban, sa Zamboanga, sa South Cotabato. At ito talaga ay dumudugo ang puso, hindi lamang ng mga pamilya, kapamilya ng mga nasawi, kung hindi ang buong bansa,” the President said in his speech at the Pres. Corazon “Cory” C. Aquino National High School in Pasay City, where he recognized participating schools and stakeholders in the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).
The chief executive emphasized the need to ensure that schools are safe and conducive for learning.
“So be assured that the government is working closely with our teachers, parents, barangay workers, and other stakeholders to make our schools more secure,” he said.
“We are committed to providing our youth, our parents, and communities with the knowledge and resources to prevent and respond to school violence,” Marcos added.
3 dead, 6 others injured in South Cotabato school shooting, officials say
South Cotabato school shooter's dad relieved from DepEd post pending probe
NBI arrests suspects linked to South Cotabato shooting, Cebu online grooming
‘HABULIN NATIN ‘YUNG PAGKA NUMBER 1’
Marcos also lauded the country’s strongest performance so far in PISA since it participated in 2018, backed by improved scores in science, mathematics and reading.
Based on mean scores, the Philippines outranked 14 countries in science, 16 in mathematics and 18 in reading. The OECD’s 10-year trend analysis also identified the Philippines as the fastest-improving country in reading performance.
However, its results remained well below the average of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
PISA is the world’s largest international comparative survey conducted by the OECD that evaluates 15-year-olds’ ability to use their reading, mathematics and science knowledge and skills to meet real-life challenges.
A total of 8,702 learners from 208 schools nationwide participated in PISA 2025.
“Ipagpatuloy natin. Marami pa tayong kailangang gawin. Hindi pa tayo number one. Habulin natin ‘yung pagka-number one at kayang-kaya dahil napakagaling ng ating mga estudyante, napakagaling ng ating mga guro, napakabait at napakasipag ng ating mga magulang at lahat-lahat,” Marcos told the media.
“Together with the government, both local government and national government, ‘pag pinagsama-sama natin ang ating kakayahan para turuan at maging maganda ang education system ng Pilipinas, matutupad din natin ang pangako na ‘yan,” the chief executive added.
He also vowed to continue supporting teachers by providing more teaching positions and opportunities for career advancement and hiring more non-teaching personnel.
“Dahil tapat ang aking paniniwala: hindi natin mapapaganda ang sistema natin sa edukasyon kung hindi natin tuluyang talagang solid na support sa ating mga guro,” he said.
Marcos urged teachers to “continue nurturing our children's curiosity” and “encourage them to discover the world beyond the classroom.”
“So let us teach our children to be intelligent. Let us teach our children to question. Let us teach our children to understand,” the President told the teachers.
“To our learners: Keep asking questions. Look at things from different points of view. Do not be afraid to change your mind when you learn something new,” he said.
RELATED VIDEO: