CAMARINES Sur 2nd District Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. pushed  a bill that aims to enhance school security and better protect children from violence.

In filing House Bill 8582 or the proposed Safe Schools Act, Villafuerte stressed that quality education is crucial for the future of children and of the country.

He said that if the government is to effectively provide quality education, students should have an environment conducive to learning.

The bill mandates the Department of Education to provide comprehensive services to victims and witnesses of school violence; remove violent and drug selling student offenders from school premises; and report violent crimes and drug dealing on school ground to appropriate law enforcement authorities.

The DepEd should also involve parents, former armed forces personnel and community volunteers in efforts to improve school safety and develop innovative programs to improve the safety of schools and to better serve at-risk students.

“Greater cooperation between schools, parents, law enforcement, the courts and the community is essential to making our schools safe from drugs and violence,” Villafuerte said