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The Senate Committee on Basic Education, chaired by Sen. Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV, opened hearings on Thursday, July 9, on the proposed School Safety Act, a measure meant to address violence, bullying, and other threats that put students at risk both inside and outside campuses.
The joint hearing, held with the committees on higher, technical, and vocational education, brought lawmakers together to examine whether existing laws and school policies are enough to keep students safe, or whether new legislation is needed to close the gaps.
Aquino said the bill started out as an anti-bullying measure but has since grown into a broader school safety framework. Among its key provisions are the wider use of...