CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – In the wake of the recent shooting incident in Tacloban City involving a Kapampangan student, the Provincial Government of Pampanga, through the initiative of Gov Nanay Pineda, gathered key government agencies and education stakeholders to strengthen school safety measures and reinforce anti-bullying mechanisms across the province.
The meeting gathered concerned agencies and institutions including the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Health (DOH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Philippine National Police (PNP), state universities and colleges, parents-teachers associations, and non-government organizations, among others, to develop a unified child protection framework.
According to Governor Pineda, among the key recommendations are the establishment of a direct reporting and referral system between the Provincial Government, DepEd, and DSWD to ensure faster intervention in child protection cases; stronger inter-agency collaboration; expanded public awareness campaigns; student-centered activities; and community-based lectures on child protection, bullying prevention, and children’s rights.
The governor also ordered the creation of the Provincial Inter-Agency Coordinating Council known as Alagang Kabataan, which will serve as the province’s unified mechanism to safeguard the welfare, safety, and mental health of learners in Pampanga’s 617 public schools and 153 private elementary and secondary schools.
In relation to this, Pineda is set to open the Care and Counseling Center located behind the OFW Hospital in Barangay Sindalan, City of San Fernando. The facility will provide counseling and mental health support services for Kapampangan children and youth as part of the provincial government’s expanded child protection program.
The initiative underscores Pampanga’s commitment to creating safer, more inclusive, and child-friendly learning environments through stronger coordination among government agencies, schools, parents, and the community.
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