DILG-NCR takes part in the first Metro Manila School Safety and Security Summit 2026 | #schoolsaftey #kids #parents #children

Reaffirming its commitment to promoting safer and more secure learning environments through strengthened inter-agency collaboration, the Department of the Interior and Local Government–National Capital Region (DILG-NCR), led by Regional Director Maria Lourdes L. Agustin, CESO III, participated in the 1st Metro Manila School Safety and Security Summit 2026, organized by the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on October 8–9, 2026, at The Crossroad Center, Quezon City.

The two-day summit brought together representatives from national government agencies, local government units (LGUs), educational institutions, law enforcement agencies, and barangays to strengthen coordination, promote collaborative approaches to preventing school-based violence, and address emerging threats to the safety and security of learners across Metro Manila.

In his keynote message, Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Juanito Victor C. Remulla emphasized that protecting learners goes beyond law enforcement interventions and requires proactive prevention, sustained preparedness, and collective responsibility. He particularly highlighted the growing risks confronting children in digital spaces and the importance of equipping families, schools, and communities to recognize and respond to emerging threats.

Discussions led by resource persons from the Department of Education (DepEd), Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), Philippine National Police (PNP), and other partner institutions focused on school-based violence prevention, early identification of behavioral warning signs, online threats and nihilistic violent extremism, and coordinated emergency response.

The discussions underscored the importance of early intervention, timely information-sharing, and coordinated response mechanisms among schools, law enforcement agencies, LGUs, and other concerned stakeholders in preventing violence and safeguarding school communities.

As an expression of DILG-NCR’s institutional support for the initiative, Regional Director Agustin joined participating agency heads and partners in signing the Pledge of Commitment, affirming their shared responsibility to advance preventive measures, strengthen inter-agency cooperation, and sustain community engagement in promoting school safety and security.

DILG-NCR remains committed to working alongside the NCRPO, DepEd, LGUs, and other partner institutions in advancing a coordinated, preventive, and community-centered approach to school safety, recognizing that protecting learners is a shared responsibility that requires sustained cooperation and collective action across all sectors.