Bacolod City, the capital of Negros Occidental, has kicked off efforts to prepare schools for security threats like the deadly shooting at a school in Tacloban City.

On July 14, 2026, the Bacolod City Police Office implemented an active shooter simulation exercise beginning at the Singcang Airport National High School.

The simulation aims to educate people in the school on the steps to take in the event of a security threat like the presence of an active shooter.

“Maiparating sa ating mga estudyante kung ano ang dapat nilang gawin, including teachers at teaching staff natin,” said Lt. Ildefonso Leonardo, Jr., deputy chief of the Bacolod City Police Station 8.

Drill participants were taught the ‘duck-cover-run’ and fight protocol.

Among those who participated were several senior high school students. They believe that learning the protocols will help them save themselves and their schoolmates.

“Kaming mga classmates, kung sino sa amin ang vulnerable, siya ang magiging focus namin,” said one student, Zharich Ogdiman.

“During the shooting, hindi namin alam kung nasaan ang shooter. For that reason, dapat safe kaming lahat, kaming classmates at ang aming sarili. Magsasara kami, lahat na upuan ihaharang,” another student, Dave Sandro Talahuron, said.

The school’s information officer, Ariel Villaceran, said they also make it a point to undertake initiatives to promote peace and campaign against bullying among students.

“We always give time to promote peace and anti-bullying campaigns to allow students to be informed,” he said.

In the Tacloban incident, authorities eyed personal grudge that may have stemmed from bullying as possible motive in the shooting that killed three students and injured several others. Read story: https://www.gmanetwork.com/regionaltv/news/114523/school-bullying-eyed-as-motive-in-tacloban-school-shooting/story/

DJ Andrade, councilman of Barangay Singcang Airport, urged residents to always keep an eye on the children.

“Check on our children. Most of the time, ang ating kabataan, biktima ng bullying, biktima ng mga insidente na hindi natin hinihingi ngunit nangyayari,” he said.

The police will organize a similar drill in other schools in the city.

Earlier, authorities in Bacolod opened an investigation into threats against four schools in the city. The threats surfaced days after the Tacloban incident. Read story: https://www.gmanetwork.com/regionaltv/news/114705/police-probe-security-threat-vs-4-schools-in-bacolod-city/story/