THE DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) conducted the National Simultaneous School Safety Drill on Thursday in public and private schools nationwide.

According to DepEd, the initiative aims to strengthen multi-agency coordination during active threat scenarios in line with localized School Contingency Plans, while ensuring the safety and psychosocial well-being of learners and the continuity of learning.

The safety drill at Carlos F. Gonzales High School in Bulacan was attended by Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla and DepEd officials led by Undersecretary for Governance and Operations Malcolm Garma.

Following extensive consultations with medical and mental health experts, including the Philippine Psychiatric Association, Philippine Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Philippine Pediatric Society, DepEd updated its safety drill guidelines to align with trauma-informed and child-centered standards under a strict “Do No Harm” directive.

Under the updated guidelines, hyper-realistic elements, active aggressor role-playing, and graphic threat simulations are strictly prohibited.

Instead, the drills are initiated through a distinct early warning alarm separate from the standard signals used for fire and earthquake drills. This is intended to build learners’ and school personnel’s familiarity with emergency procedures without causing unnecessary distress.