DepEd Has Only 200 Security Guards for 48,000 Public Schools — Sonny Angara

The country's 48,000 public schools share only 200 security guard positions. (Global 1 News)

The Shocking Numbers: One Guard for Every 240 Schools

The Department of Education oversees 48,000 public schools across the country, yet only about 200 security guard positions exist in the entire system. This leaves roughly one guard for every 240 schools, a reality that Secretary Sonny Angara highlighted during his visit to Alfonso Castañeda National High School in Nueva Vizcaya.

For families in barangays from the Visayas to Mindanao, this number hits close to home. Parents who send their children to public schools every morning now wonder who is watching the gates when classes begin. Teachers arrive early to prepare lessons, only to realize the campus stretches far beyond what two hundred guards can possibly cover nationwide.

The gap affects daily routines in countless communities. Students walk through school grounds where no dedicated security presence exists, while tricycle drivers and sari-sari store owners nearby sense the unease that lingers after recent incidents. The shortage is not abstract; it shapes how ordinary Filipinos plan their days around school safety.

Sonny Angara's Message to DBM: 'We Need Positions'

Secretary Sonny Angara has formally asked the Department of Budget and Management for additional plantilla items to create more security guard posts. He stressed that funding or positions for security guards remain the most important need at this time.

Angara pointed to a previous nationalization of government positions that removed many DepEd security guard items before he became secretary in mid-2024. Only about 200 positions stayed in place after that process, leaving even some campuses that require more than one guard without adequate coverage.

During an ambush interview, he told reporters in mixed English and Filipino that the plantilla items for security guards are severely lacking. This request to DBM comes at a moment when communities expect concrete steps to restore a sense of security inside public school walls.

Wave of Campus Threats After Tacloban Shooting

The June 22 attack at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, where two students aged 14 and 15 fired at least 34 rounds, killed three classmates, and wounded 20 others, set off a chain of alarms. Police later confirmed the pair had planned the attack for weeks and managed to bring firearms onto campus despite two security guards being posted there.

Days later, a 14-year-old’s separate plot to mount a mass-casualty attack at Tolosa National High School in Leyte was foiled by the Department of the Interior and Local Government. Then, in Escalante City, Negros Occidental, a student was investigated for posting an online plan to copy the Tacloban shooting, leading alarmed parents to pull their children out of Escalante City National High School.

Batangas City Integrated High School suspended classes until further notice over a possible threat of a school shooting. These events have rippled through families who now weigh the risk of sending children to class against the fear that another incident could unfold.

Parents and community members outside a public school following recent safety concerns. (Global 1 News)

How Schools Cope: Outsourced Guards and Rising Tensions

Many public schools have long relied on outsourced security personnel from third-party private agencies, often drawing from their maintenance and other operating expenses. This practice continues even as the number of official plantilla positions remains fixed at roughly 200 nationwide.

The arrangement places extra strain on already limited school budgets meant for books, repairs, and student programs. In communities where bayanihan spirit runs strong, teachers and parents sometimes step in informally to watch entrances, yet this cannot replace trained guards across 48,000 campuses.

Rising tensions after the Tacloban incident and the copycat threats have made these coping methods feel even more fragile. Families in provinces far from Manila discuss how the lack of permanent positions leaves schools dependent on temporary arrangements that may not always prevent determined threats.

What Parents Can Do Now

Parents in Escalante City have already shown one immediate response by withdrawing their children from school when threats surfaced. This action reflects the deep concern spreading through households that value education yet must prioritize safety in the short term.

Communities can stay connected through barangay networks and school parent-teacher associations to share verified updates about local campus conditions. Keeping open lines with teachers and school heads helps families understand what measures are already in place while waiting for additional positions to be funded.

Practical steps also include monitoring official announcements from DepEd and local government units about class suspensions or added security arrangements. In places like Batangas City and Leyte, such coordination has allowed families to adjust schedules without losing touch with their children’s learning needs.

The Bottom Line

The shortage of security guards in public schools touches the daily lives of millions of Filipino students, teachers, and parents who rely on these institutions. With only 200 positions spread across 48,000 schools, the call for more plantilla items now carries urgency that reaches every region.

Secretary Angara’s request to the Department of Budget and Management focuses on restoring positions removed during earlier nationalization efforts. Until those positions increase, families continue to navigate the tension between education and safety in the wake of the Tacloban shooting and subsequent threats.

Ordinary Filipinos in every barangay understand that secure schools support stronger communities. The coming weeks will show how quickly additional funding or positions can be secured to ease the pressure felt by students returning to class and parents watching over them.