Angara pushes stronger mental health support after Zamboanga school shooting

Floyd Brenz., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
August 19, 2026

Photo Courtesy: DepEd

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Education Secretary Sonny Angara is calling for stronger mental health and socio-emotional support in schools following the fatal shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University Junior High School, saying school safety must go beyond physical security.

Angara visited the school on Wednesday, a day after two learners were killed, and joined a security briefing with school officials, local authorities and the Philippine National Police.

He said schools must pay closer attention to the psychological and emotional well-being of learners, noting that mental health support is a long-term part of preventing violence.

“Pati ‘yung psychological at socio-emotional learning… kailangan bantayan kasi long-term problem,” Angara said.

The Education chief said DepEd already has mental health interventions but plans to strengthen them as the need for support among learners grows.

The agency earlier said around 10,000 positions could be created for School Counselor Associate I, with additional counselors expected to be deployed in public schools beginning school year 2026–2027.

For Angara, however, support should also begin inside classrooms and school communities.

“Makihalubilo tayo sa ating mga estudyante, kilalanin natin sila, kumustahin natin sila,” he said, stressing that schools should serve not only as places of learning but also as “second homes” where students feel welcomed and cared for.

Angara also said investigators have not ruled out the possibility that online grooming or nihilistic violent groups may have influenced the incident, but stressed that authorities are still determining what triggered the shooting.

He urged parents to remain vigilant about their children’s online interactions, warning that vulnerable or angry young people could be targeted by individuals seeking to influence them.

At the same time, Angara cautioned the public against drawing conclusions while the investigation remains ongoing and called for the privacy and dignity of the students and their families to be protected.

For DepEd, the tragedy has underscored a broader concern: keeping schools safe requires not only stronger security measures, but also ensuring that students have access to people and systems that can recognize when they are struggling before a crisis escalates.