The Council of Teachers and Staff of Colleges and Universities of the Philippines (CoTeSCUP) has extended condolences to the families of students killed in the August 18 shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University, while sharply criticizing remarks made by Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro in the aftermath of the tragedy.
CoTeSCUP said the Palace official’s comments—linking teacher conduct to questions of morality—were “unfortunate and misplaced” at a time when educators, students, and families were grappling with trauma.
“Public commentary from government representatives should center on empathy, accountability, immediate assistance, and the prevention of another tragedy,” the council stressed.
Teachers and staff, the group noted, were not passive witnesses during the incident but faced danger while protecting students and securing classrooms.
“Educators should never be expected to assume extraordinary risks without adequate preparation, emergency protocols, training, security measures, and government support,” CoTeSCUP said, adding that Castro’s subsequent clarification did not erase the troubling context and timing of her remarks.
From Tragedy to Prevention
The council outlined four urgent calls:
– Transparent firearm probe — Investigate how a minor accessed firearms, including one issued to a Bureau of Customs employee, and make findings public.
– Shift to prevention — Require schools to maintain documented threat-assessment and crisis-response protocols, monitored by DepEd and CHED.
– Mental health oversight in basic education — Ensure substantive services under RA 12080, with DepEd publishing annual reports on Care Center staffing.
– Mental health oversight in higher education — Strengthen CHED monitoring under CMO No. 05, s. 2026, with public access to institutional classifications.
School Violence as Workplace Hazard
CoTeSCUP emphasized that school violence is also an occupational safety and health concern under RA 11058. It urged the Department of Labor and Employment to enforce OSH compliance in educational institutions, including risk assessments, functioning committees, emergency preparedness, and incident investigation.
The council called for a whole-of-government and whole-of-school approach, involving DOLE, DepEd, CHED, DILG, PNP, DOH, LGUs, and unions, to strengthen safety protocols, regulate firearms, and provide trauma-informed support.
Teachers’ Voice in Safety Planning
Finally, CoTeSCUP underscored that teachers’ and employees’ unions must have a direct role in safety planning.
“Those expected to help protect students during an emergency must themselves be protected and must have a seat at the table where school safety policies are developed,” the statement read.
“The discussion following this tragedy should not be diverted toward generalized questions about the character or discipline of teachers,” CoTeSCUP concluded.
“The urgent task is to prevent another tragedy. Teachers and staff have a right to a safe workplace. Students have a right to a safe place of learning. Keeping our schools safe is a shared responsibility.” # (ZIA LUNA)
