SENATOR Raffy Tulfo asked the Department of Education to ensure that the agency’s confidential funds will be utilized properly to ensure the safety and protection of students.

Tulfo underscored the need to protect students from child molesters, kidnappers, drug dealers and other child predators.

He added that he also received complaints on the rampant bullying and harassment from non-students outside the campus and he wants these problems addressed.

“We have to protect the welfare of the children. Kung sa Amerika, yung mga estudyante ang madalas nagiging biktima ng mass shooting, sa Pilipinas naman, may mga reports in the past na may mga pusher na nagbebenta ng droga sa paligid ng eskwelahan at iba pang criminal elements prowling the perimeters of the school. The confidential funds can be used to track down who these people are and pre-empt them from victimizing students,” he said.

For 2023, the confidential funds for DepEd amounts to P150 million.

DepEd earlier revealed that reports of sexual grooming cases, sexual abuse, cases of drugs trade inside and outside the schools, as well as criminal activities in schools have been rampant.

Tulfo also said that DepEd could lead the information gathering or intelligence networking to help address such concerns considering that the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency already have so much on their plates.

“PNP & PDEA are already overwhelmed as it is so it will be best kung magkakaroon ang DepEd ng sariling intelligence network to easily track down people taking advantage of the lack of security in schools, as opposed to aasa na lang sila sa PNP at PDEA,” he said.

Moreover, Tulfo said DepEd should ensure that the School Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses allotted for the department must be provided to the teachers and the schools.

Tulfo cited complaints he received in the past from some public school teachers who used their own money to purchase chalk, eraser and electric fan.