ICYMI: SMCB executes campus-wide active shooter drill

Demonstrating campus-wide vigilance, the Ignacian Marian community executed a safety school drill on Monday, Sept. 7, to reinforce institutional readiness and bolster emergency response protocols.

The drill officially commenced at 10:30 a.m. with a distinct alarm that prompted immediate lockdown and room-securing protocols.

Students were advised to switch off the lights, barricade their classroom doors, cover the windows, and maintain silence during the duration of the drill.

Afterwards, the campus transitioned to the next phase of the exercise when Student Activity Coordinator (StAC) Ma. Gloria Bulan instructed all students and faculty to evacuate quietly with both hands raised and assemble at their designated zones in the quadrangle.

Following the assembly, External Relations Coordinator Renan Geslani delivered a post-evaluation briefing to review the outcomes of the emergency simulation before instructing the community to return to their respective classrooms and offices.

The guidance and testing office also issued evaluation forms across classrooms for assessing the school’s operational readiness, learner protection and safeguarding mechanisms, coordination with local security authorities and other relevant stakeholders, emergency and response protocols, and post-incident recovery.

Echoing the significance of the drill, Integrated Basic Education (IBEd) Principal Perfecto Austria reiterated that its primary objective is to “practice the protocols in handling such scenarios”.

“In order for students to be safe and to show cooperation with DepEd in coming up with such a national activity,” Mr. Austria further noted.

When queried about the positive results, the Principal cited improved student preparedness, the possession of locks, barrels, and bolts by each classroom, and heightened synergy between the Local Government Unit (L.G.U.), the Philippine National Police (P.N.P.), and the Schools Division Office (S.D.O.).

“Students learned how to prepare for such incidents, like locking the door, covering the window, hiding, and calling for emergencies. Furthermore, all rooms were provided with locks and barrel and bolts, because some rooms do not have updated locks. And lastly, strengthened relationships with L.G.U., P.N.P., and S.D.O., because we participated in their activity.”

However, Mr. Austria admitted that “some regular activities were disrupted.”

It can be recalled that the Department of Education had ordered public and private schools alike to participate in the National Simultaneous Safety Drill following safety concerns and campus incidents, notably those in Tacloban and Zamboanga.

The agency, however, prohibited the use of hyper-realistic elements and dropped live active shooter reenactments to protect the mental health and prevent psychological trauma among the school community. 

Instead, it focused on a more systematic and operational approach.