SENATOR Mark Villar is pushing for stronger school security and emergency preparedness through Senate Bill No. 2321, or the proposed Learning Institution’s Guaranteed Threat Avoidance and Safety (LIGTAS) Act, following a series of violent incidents involving students and school personnel.

The proposed measure comes amid growing concerns over campus safety after several attacks were reported in recent months, including the fatal shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City and separate stabbing incidents in Cavite and Las Piñas.

Villar said these incidents highlight the urgent need to reinforce security measures in educational institutions and ensure that schools remain safe spaces for learning.

“These incidents are painful reminders that violence can happen even in places where our children are supposed to feel safest. We cannot allow fear inside our schools to become the norm. We need to act before another life is lost,” Villar said.

The LIGTAS Act seeks to establish a standardized school safety framework for all public and private basic education institutions, covering learners from Kindergarten to Grade 12.

Under the proposed measure, schools would be required to strengthen coordination with law enforcement through increased police visibility, regular threat assessments, and direct emergency hotlines linking schools with police, fire, and rescue units. Schools would also be mandated to immediately notify parents or guardians during emergencies involving students.

The bill further requires schools to maintain adequate first-aid and emergency response equipment, deploy trained medical personnel and security guards, and install strategically placed closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and appropriate security screening systems.

In addition, the measure mandates regular school safety and emergency preparedness training for students, teachers, and other school personnel to improve readiness during crises.

A key provision of the bill is the establishment of a School Safety Council in every city and municipality.

The council, composed of representatives from local government units, schools, law enforcement agencies, fire and disaster response offices, and parents, will be responsible for developing localized school safety policies, coordinating emergency response efforts, and monitoring compliance with safety standards.

Villar emphasized that protecting students requires a whole-of-community approach involving schools, local governments, law enforcement agencies, emergency responders, teachers, and parents.

“Through the LIGTAS Act, we want safer and more prepared schools where every Filipino student is protected,” the senator said.