The UP Oblation at the entrance of the Diliman campus. (File photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — All schools should have a comprehensive security plan, Commission on Higher Education (Ched) Chair Prospero De Vera said on Thursday in the wake of a sexual assault case at the University of the Philippines – Diliman recently which sparked concerns over campus safety.
“Ang kailangan natin, ay malinaw na safety and security plan sa lahat ng pamantasan. Ibig sabihin ng safety and security plan, mayroon kang printed document na nakalagay doon, ano ba yung situation ng safety and security sa campus,” said De Vera during the Laging Handa Public Briefing.
(What we need is a clear safety and security plan for every school. The safety and security plan means that there is a document detailing the safety and security situation on campus.)
While De Vera did not state if he had plans to push for policies regarding this, he emphasized that it was high time for schools to have a solid security plan.
According to De Vera, the plan could include campus crime statistics, the types of crimes that happen, dangerous and dark areas on campus, details of past incidents and where they happened.
He also said that the security plan should contain a prepared set of responses for different scenarios, including possible crimes.
“I-review natin ang ating patakaran, seryosohin natin ang safety and security, invest tayo sa technology,” he said, citing the use of more security cameras on campus.
(Let us review our rules, let’s take safety and security seriously, let’s invest in technology.)