Amid reports of fake abductions, schools urged to implement preventive measures to protect kids

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Amid reports about a white van abducting children that turned out to be hoax abductions and have proliferated in social media, the Department of Education in Central Visayas (DepEd-7) is encouraging school heads and teachers to adopt a mechanism that would prevent incidents of kidnapping or abductions or other crimes that would victimize children.

Although authorities have already verified that these information is just fake news, but Dr. Salustiano Jimenez, DepEd-7 regional director, is taking this seriously.

“Fake news or not. Tinuod man or dili, lahi gyud kun mangandam, unya ma-aware daan atong mga kabataan. At least sila mismo maghuna-huna ug naa man gani magdani nila pagkuyog. Sila mismo naa na’y hunahuna nga dili sila magpataka og kuyog hilabi na kung dili sila kaila,” Jimenez said.

(Fake news or not, If its true or a hoax, then it is always better for the children to to be prepared and aware about these things. At least, the children will be aware of what to do if someone would try to convince them to go with him or her. The children will know that they will not just accompany anybody especially if they are strangers.)

Read more: Netizen who posted kidnapping hoax may face charges

Jimenez said that teachers should always remind their students not to trust strangers, especially if they were trying to lure them to go with them.

He also asked the help of the Parent-Teachers Association (PTA), the community, barangay officials and the authorities in securing the schools.

Jimenez, however, admitted that some public schools did not have a security guard due to the lack of budget.

“Na-incoporate sa atong MOOE (Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses) pero mao lagi, gamay ra gyud siya kaayo sa atong mga gagmay nga eskwelahan. So dili sila ka-afford ug mokuha ug gwardiya gikan gyud sa agency,” he added.

(We have incorporated this in our MOOE [Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses] but in our small schools, they could not afford to get a guard from a security agency.)

Despite this, Jimenez said the PTA might ask contributions from parents for the purpose of hiring a security guard.

“Not necessarily security guard pero naa man ta’y mga tanod. Naa pod ta’y utility at the same time guard, nga mao ra’y ma-afford sa atong mga eskwelahan,” he said. 

(It’s not necessarily a security guard but we have barangay tanods. We also have a utility man at the same time working as a security guard because that is only what these schools can afford.)

He also encouraged parents to fetch their children in school, especially those who had been enrolled in kindergarten and elementary to ensure their security./dbs