The Quezon City council approved on second reading a measure seeking the installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the city’s 147 public elementary and high schools to deter vandalism and ensure the safety of students.
More than half of the total 818,000 population of grade school and high school students in the city are enrolled in the public school system.
The draft resolution, authored by 6th district Councilor Melencio Castelo Jr., passed the scrutiny of the local council’s committees on parks and environment, public works and infrastructure and appropriations.
Castelo proposed the installation of security cameras to discourage looters from taking advantage of the lack of security in the city-operated primary and secondary schools. He said most vandals prey on educational institutions described as “public.”
Violent incidents
The councilor said outsiders are able to enter and freely mingle with the students which often lead to violent incidents.
He said not all public schools employ security guards or watchmen and most schools have low walls built around them that can easily be scaled.
The council hopes that the installation of CCTVs would compensate for the lack of security personnel.
According to figures from the Quezon City government website, there are 264,535 students currently enrolled in the city’s 99 public elementary schools and 151,569 in the 48 public high schools.
The same website said the city’s elementary age population (6 to 11 years old) stands at 577,002 while the high school age population (12 to 15 years old) is at 241,363.