SENATE Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday urged the government to adopt a trauma-informed approach to school safety, proposing nationwide community town halls instead of immediately conducting live active shooter drills in schools.

During the Senate session, Cayetano made the manifestation after the Senate completed the organization of several standing committees. He also reiterated the minority bloc’s commitment to support the chamber’s legislative work.

Cayetano welcomed the Department of Education’s decision to postpone its scheduled live shooter attack drill due to inclement weather, saying the delay provides an opportunity to carefully review the program.

He cited a joint statement from the Philippine Psychiatric Association and the Philippine Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, which emphasized that school preparedness measures should be evidence-based and trauma-informed.

“Preparedness in schools is essential, but the methods chosen must be trauma-informed and grounded in evidence,” Cayetano said.

Instead of conducting simulated shooting drills, Cayetano proposed that Malacañang declare a national day or half-day for community dialogues in every school.

He said the town halls should bring together parents, teachers, students, principals, religious leaders, business leaders and community representatives to discuss the emotional, psychological, mental and spiritual well-being of learners, as well as the specific challenges faced by each school.

The senator warned that poorly planned responses to school violence could unintentionally cause more harm by traumatizing students or normalizing the idea of classmates becoming shooters.

Cayetano also stressed that the country must address the deeper causes of youth violence and suicide rather than focus solely on emergency response measures.