Campus violence and bullying cannot be solved by schools alone, a local lawmaker stressed, calling on parents, barangays, and police to help tackle the issue.
Councilor Vladimir Cayabas, who handles the city’s Committee on Education, said that addressing school safety requires a proactive approach rather than just reacting when incidents occur.
“Campus violence is not just a concern of the Department of Education (DepEd). It is also the concern of parents, school stakeholders, the local government, and the national government,” Cayabas said.
This call to action follows a nationwide rise in school violence ,including the shooting incident in San Jose National Highschool Tacloban City on June 22, 2026 which resulted in the deaths of three students, as well as stabbing incidents in Zamboanga on June 16 and Cavite On July 1. It also includes online attack threats across the several provinces which led UNICEF in June 23, 2026 to warn against deadly incidents involving minors.
To monitor local conditions, Cayabas noted that his committee regularly meets with stakeholders, including private school administrators, to assess the situation and plan safety measures for Baguio students
The councilor emphasized that the first line of defense against youth violence begins at home. He urged parents to be highly observant of their children’s actions and digital habits.
“Discipline starts inside the home. Parents must be very much aware of what their children are doing,” Cayabas explained.
Baguio City currently backs its campus safety campaigns with a local anti-bullying ordinance, working hand-in-hand with national policies like the newly issued DepEd Ordinance No. 6, Series of 2026. Cayabas commended local school personnel for their initiative in rolling out these protective programs.
However, he maintained that keeping students safe requires a wider net, calling on the community’s grassroots leaders and local police to stay involved. “Let us work together again. We need our external stakeholders, the barangays, the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the LGU to move together,” he said.
Turning his attention to the youth, Cayabas reminded students to stay grounded and mindful of how online trends affect their behavior.
“For the children, your duty is to study, not to bully. Focus on your education instead of letting social media influences distract you. There must be limits,” Cayabas concluded. Noemi Salatic |UC Intern
