Marcos orders govt agencies to fortify school safety measures after series of violent incidents

MANILA, Philippines - President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday directed relevant agencies and local government units to strengthen safety measures in schools following a series of violent incidents involving minors in recent weeks.In his vlog, the President said it was 'heartbreaking and horrifying' that the youth could commit crimes due to underlying issues such as bullying.'Today, I speak not only as President, but as a father, a fellow Filipino, and as someone deeply concerned about the safety of our children,' Marcos said.'I have directed our agencies in education, law enforcement, health, and local government to further strengthen measures for the safety of students throughout the country,' he added.Marcos cited a shooting incident inside a school in Tacloban City and two separate stabbing incidents involving bladed weapons inside schools in Cavite.He also mentioned the deaths of two student-athletes from Ateneo de Manila University, who drowned during a team-building activity.'While these incidents may be different, they all send us one message: we must protect our youth,' the President said.'Schools should be places of learning, dreams, and growth - not places where parents fear for the safety of their children,' he added.