President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. was “heartbroken” upon learning of the fatal school shooting in Tacloban City and has ordered government agencies to determine the root causes behind the recent incidents of violence involving young people, Malacañang said on Thursday, June 25.
During a press briefing, Palace Press Officer and Undersecretary Claire Castro said the president views the growing number of violent incidents involving students as deeply alarming and unacceptable, particularly when children are both perpetrators and victims.
“Ang mga mararahas na nangyayari sa ating bansa ay hindi na po katanggap-tanggap. Mas lalo na po kung kabataan ang nasasangkot,” Castro said.
According to the Palace official, Marcos was deeply affected by reports surrounding the shooting at a school in Tacloban City, where a student allegedly opened fire, resulting in casualties and injuries.
“Noong nabalitaan nga po ng Pangulo ang nangyayari sa Tacloban ay... Heartbroken, masasabi natin, ang naramdaman ng Pangulo dahil mga bata ang lumalabas na kaya na gumawa ng krimen, kayang magplanong gumawa ng krimen. At mga inosenteng mga kabataan din ang nabibiktima,” Castro stated.
The president has directed concerned government agencies to strengthen measures aimed at ensuring the safety and protection of students in schools across the country. He also emphasized the need to closely examine the factors that may be contributing to youth violence.
Castro said Marcos wants authorities to immediately determine the underlying causes of such incidents and assess whether exposure to violent content may be influencing the behavior of young people.
“So, iniutos din po ng Pangulo ang agarang pag-determine ano ang nagiging ugat nito. Maliban po sa nakita ng Pangulo na may kinalaman ng iba mga gaming apps na marahas. So dapat makita po talaga kung saan nagmumula ito, kung nagkakaroon ba ng panggagaya, nagiging parang normal ang ganyan kong klase ng kaharasan,” she said.
The Palace stressed that incidents involving violence among children should not be ignored and underscored the importance of ensuring the welfare, guidance, and protection of the country's youth.
