Marcos: Gov’t committed to protecting youth from school violence

MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday said the government is committed to protecting the youth from school violence and providing parents and communities with the knowledge and resources to prevent such incidents.

He made the remark during the Recognition of Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Participating Schools and Education Partners at President Corazon “Cory” C. Aquino National High School in Pasay City.

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Citing the series of shooting incidents in Tacloban City, Zamboanga City, and South Cotabato that resulted in several deaths and injuries, the President said parents should not be in a situation where they cannot be assured that schools are safe for their children.

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“Hindi katanggap-tanggap ‘yung mga pangyayari na nakita natin sa Tacloban, sa Zamboanga, sa South Cotabato. At ito talaga ay dumudugo ang puso, hindi lamang ng mga pamilya, kapamilya ng mga nasawi, kung hindi ang buong bansa,” Marcos said in his speech.

(What happened in Tacloban, Zamboanga, and South Cotabato is unacceptable. It truly breaks our hearts, not only the families and relatives of those who died, but the entire country.)

“So be assured that the government is working closely with our teachers, parents, barangay worker, and other stakeholders to make our schools more secure. We are committed to providing our youth, our parents, and communities with the knowledge and resources to prevent and respond to school violence,” he continued.

PISA gains

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Meanwhile, in the same speech, Marcos attributed the country’s improved performance in PISA to education reforms under his administration.

“Kaya naman ay tayo naman ay tuwang-tuwa at effective ang ating mga ginagawa,” he said.

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(And so, we are very happy that what we are doing is effective.)

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“And that is why my initial reaction noong nabalitaan natin na gumanda ang PISA score natin, ang score natin sa PISA, ang naisip ko kaagad, ang pumasok kaagad sa kaisipan ko ay sinasabi ko na sa inyo, magagaling ang mga estudyante natin basta tama ang pagkaturo,” the President also said.

Marcos said Filipino teachers are capable as long as they are properly supported.

“This administration continues to increase teaching positions, provide opportunities for career advancement, and hire more non-teaching personnel. This way, our teachers can spend more time teaching our youth,” he said.

“Dahil tapat ang aking paniniwala: hindi natin mapapaganda ang sistema natin sa edukasyon kung hindi natin tuluyang talagang solid na support sa ating mga guro,” he added.

(Because I firmly believe that we cannot improve our education system unless we provide truly solid support for our teachers.)

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Furthermore, Marcos urged students to always question things around them and be open to new learnings.

“To our learners: Keep asking questions. Look at things from different points of view. Do not be afraid to change your mind when you learn something new,” he said.

The PISA 2025 results showed that the country’s mean scores rose to 373 in science, 371 in mathematics, and 367 in reading—up 17, 16, and 20 points, respectively, from its 2022 scores.

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The Philippines outperformed 14 countries in science, 16 in mathematics, and 18 in reading, according to the report. /jpv