SENATE President Sherwin Gatchalian has sounded the alarm over what he described as a growing crisis of violence in schools following the stabbing of a Grade 9 student in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

Gatchalian said the nation had yet to recover from the recent tragedy in Tacloban City when reports surfaced of another violent incident involving a student of Julio Ledesma National High School.

The Senate leader warned that repeated acts of violence in educational institutions should never be considered normal and stressed the need for immediate and decisive action.

“Violence in our schools has become a crisis,” Gatchalian said. “We will not allow these kinds of incidents to become the norm.”

In response, Gatchalian said he would file a Senate resolution calling for an inquiry into the prevalence of violence in schools and the measures needed to strengthen the safety and security of students.

The proposed resolution seeks to determine the extent of the problem and identify policies and interventions that can better protect learners from violence on school campuses.

The latest incident has intensified concerns over campus safety following the deadly school shooting in Tacloban City earlier this week, which prompted calls from lawmakers for tighter security measures, stronger mental health support programs, and a review of policies involving minors.

Authorities are continuing their investigation into the stabbing incident in San Carlos City as education and law enforcement officials face growing pressure to prevent further violence in schools.