Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara confirmed Monday that the nationwide active shooter drill scheduled for Tuesday, August 25, 2026, has been postponed.
“Ipagpapaliban na po namin dahil makakapaghintay naman po yan kasi nakikinig kami sa eksperto at nirerespeto namin ang kanilang pananaw at definitely na‑iincorporate namin ang kanilang mga comments po,” Angara said in a radio interview over dzMM.
The postponement follows a joint appeal from the Philippine Psychiatric Association (PPA) and the Philippine Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (PSCAP) urging DepEd to reconsider the planned simulation activities under the Nationwide Simultaneous School Safety Drill for Active Attack Incidents.
In their statement, the groups acknowledged the importance of preparedness but warned that hyper‑realistic drills “do not improve safety outcomes and may cause psychological harm to students.”
The associations recommended tabletop exercises and trauma‑informed protocols as safer alternatives that can strengthen coordination among schools and agencies “without fear.” # (RRN)
